Hundreds of firefighters battled to put out wildfires across southern Europe on Thursday, some of which are believed to have been set deliberately by arsonists and were stoked by an extended heatwave gripping the region.
The EU sent reinforcements to help Greece and Spain tackle blazes which have killed three firefighters, damaged homes and buildings and razed swathes of farm and forest land, forcing the evacuation of thousands of people.
Hot and dry summers have been common in the Mediterranean region. However, wildfires fanned by intense heat and winds, the result of a fast-changing climate, scientists said, have become more destructive and tougher to control.
From Portugal to Spain, Albania and Greece, firefighters struggled to contain towering walls of flames threatening life and property. The Iberian Peninsula alone made up about half of the EU's burnt area of about 500,000 hectares so far this year, according to estimates by the European Forest Fire Information System.
In Greece, more than 200 firefighters assisted by 11 aircraft battled to extinguish a blaze near the port city of Patras in the western Peloponnese. Elevated temperatures stoked tinderbox conditions.
“In such circumstances a spark is enough to start a fire which can quickly spin out of control,” said Greece's civil protection and climate change minister Giannis Kefalogiannis.
Three people suspected of deliberately igniting wildfires near Patras were arrested and expected to appear before a public prosecutor on Thursday, a senior police official told Reuters on condition of anonymity.
Greece has made available a record number of about 18,000 firefighters this year.
In Spain, three people, including volunteer firefighters, died amid dozens of wildfires this week as the country baked in a heatwave for an 11th day with temperatures as high as 44°C in some areas, expected to last until Monday.
Local media identified the latest victim as 37-year-old Jaime Aparicio, who suffered burns to 85% of his body after being trapped together with another volunteer firefighter as they attempted to create firebreaks with brush cutters.
On Thursday, 11 large fires threatened built-up areas, forcing authorities to evacuate more than 9,000 residents and to cut off roads and suspend rail services.
In Portugal, nearly 1,000 firefighters battled a blaze near the scenic mountain village of Piodao. Crews managed to bring under control a wildfire burning for 11 days, the longest this season, in the mountainous area of Vila Real in the north.
In Albania, soldiers, firefighters, and volunteers, supported by helicopters and an Italian Canadair fire jet, battled to contain separate fronts in the Sopot area between Delvina and Gjirokastra on Thursday after blazes raging for days damaged dozens of homes and charred agricultural land.
Prime minister Edi Rama said on Thursday 137 arsonists have been identified since June and several were being arrested.
Clirim Conku, a 61-year-old farmer in southern Albania, lost vineyards, olive groves and all his livestock in a wildfire, but was relieved he and his faithful dog survived.
“I was using everything to keep the flames out. To fight the smoke a napkin saved my life. I put some water on it but it stayed wet more with sweat,” he said.
Others were bitter that a lifetime of work was gone in minutes.
Restaurant owner Dimitris Daskas, 57, whose business was close to Patras, broke his arm while trying to save his property and was left without water or power as the flames approached.
He told Reuters: “My wife was calling (emergency services) to say we are on fire. They didn’t pick up.”
Reuters
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