Europe's wildfire crisis split along different fronts on Sunday, with Greece facing fresh evacuations near Athens while blazes in France and Spain stabilised but remained at risk of flare-ups.
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Key facts
- Gale-force winds drove flames deeper into western Attica, the region that includes Athens.
- Hundreds were evacuated as fires threatened villages and an industrial district outside Megara.
- High winds prevented firefighting aircraft from collecting seawater.
- France was guarding a still-burning scar four times the size of Paris against renewed spread.
- Spain's major fires finally stopped advancing, though flare-up risk remained high.
Europe’s wildfire crisis fractured along starkly different fronts on Sunday, according to the Guardian, as gale-force winds drove flames deeper into the Athens region and forced fresh evacuations, while major fires in France and Spain showed signs of stabilising.
The centre of immediate danger was Greece. The Guardian reported that gale-force winds drove flames deeper into western Attica, the administrative region that includes the capital, threatening villages and an industrial district outside the city of Megara.
Violent wind gusts hampered the firefighting response, preventing aircraft from collecting water from the sea, according to the Guardian. The high winds both spread the flames and undercut a key tool used to combat them.
In France, authorities were guarding a still-burning scar four times the size of Paris against renewed spread, the Guardian reported. The blaze was no longer advancing at the same pace but continued to pose a threat.
In Spain, the outlet reported that the country’s major fires finally stopped advancing. Despite that progress, the Guardian noted that the risk of flare-ups remained high across the affected regions.
The divergent situation underscored how conditions on the ground can shift rapidly, with wind playing a decisive role in whether fires are contained or continue to spread.
Why it matters
Wildfires near a European capital threaten homes, industry and lives, and the difficulty of fighting them in high winds highlights how quickly conditions can escalate. The mixed picture across Greece, France and Spain shows that even as some blazes ease, the danger of renewed flare-ups persists.
Frequently asked questions
Where were the evacuations taking place?
According to the Guardian, evacuations were ordered in western Attica, the region that includes Athens, where flames threatened villages and an industrial district outside the city of Megara.
Why couldn't firefighting aircraft stop the fires near Athens?
The Guardian reported that violent, gale-force wind gusts prevented firefighting aircraft from collecting water from the sea, hampering efforts to contain the flames.
What was the situation in France and Spain?
France was guarding a still-burning scar four times the size of Paris against renewed spread, while Spain's major fires finally stopped advancing, though the risk of flare-ups remained high, according to the Guardian.
Timeline
- Evacuations near Athens as Greece becomes focus of Europe’s wildfire crisis
The Guardian World: High winds spread flames through Attica while blazes stabilise in France and Spain but risk of flare-ups remains high Europe’s wildfire crisis fractured along starkly different fronts on Sunday: gale-force winds drove flames deeper into the Athens region and forced fresh evacuati
- Western Europe’s wildfire crisis retreats as Greece evacuates hundreds near Athens
The Guardian World: High winds prevent firefighting aircraft from collecting seawater as flames spread through Attica Europe’s wildfire crisis fractured along starkly different fronts on Sunday: gale-force winds drove flames deeper into the Athens region and forced fresh evacuations, France guarded