Wildfires have been raging across southern Europe, forcing thousands of people to evacuate their homes and prompting officials to ban spectators from a stage of the storied Tour de France cycling race.
Portugal Battles Massive Blaze
In Portugal, firefighters worked to prevent flames from advancing towards the village of Cercosa during a wildfire in Vouzela. According to the National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection (ANEPC), more than 1,100 firefighters were deployed, supported by approximately 360 ground vehicles and 11 aerial firefighting assets. An injured person was transported during the blaze, and local residents watched as the flames approached.
Greece: Toxic Smoke Blankets Thessaloniki
In Greece, a firefighting helicopter dropped water on a fire in Oreokastro near Thessaloniki. The flames ignited in a ravine within a mountainous area on the evening of 4 July and spread quickly, affecting several businesses and prompting evacuations in nearby settlements. A wildfire on the outskirts of the northern city of Thessaloniki blanketed Greece's second-largest city with toxic smoke on Sunday after setting two factories ablaze, the Greek fire service said.
France: Hundreds of Firefighters Deployed
In France, a French civil security firefighter attended a wildfire on 4 July in a hard-to-reach massif near Trévillach, in the Pyrenees-Orientales department of southern France. The fire spread rapidly overnight, burning through nearly 1,000 hectares (2,470 acres) by the morning. More than 580 firefighters have been deployed on the ground to fight the blaze. A Dash 8-Q400MR Fireguard aircraft of the civil security dropped retardant over a wildfire, as hundreds of firefighters battled wildfires in the south fuelled by wind, drought and heat.
Spain: Lockdowns and Evacuations
In Spain, a firefighting helicopter battled a wildfire in Catalonia. A man tried to put out the flames as a wildfire spread near a residential area in Calonge. The fire, which broke out in the municipality of La Bisbal d'Empordá, spread rapidly, prompting authorities to order the lockdown of residents and tourists. In the eastern Castellón province, firefighters battled a wildfire that forced hundreds of people to evacuate after the blaze spread during the country's second heat wave of the summer.
Impact on Tour de France
Officials banned spectators from a stage of the Tour de France due to the wildfires, underscoring the severity of the situation across the region.
