Two people were killed in wildfires on the Greek island of Salamis as firefighting aircraft were called in to fight Belgium's largest blaze in over a century, part of a fresh wave of European wildfires.
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Key facts
- Two people died in fires on the Greek island of Salamis, according to the Guardian.
- The bodies were recovered from the Peristeria beach area on Sunday, a fire department spokesperson told AFP.
- Two separate fires broke out on Salamis, with hundreds of people ordered to evacuate.
- Belgium is battling its biggest fire in more than a century near the German border.
- Around 600 people were told to evacuate in Belgium, where firefighting aircraft were deployed.
Two people have died in wildfires on the Greek island of Salamis as firefighting aircraft were called on to help tame the biggest blaze in Belgium in more than a century, the latest in a wave of wildfires across Europe, according to the Guardian.
The bodies of two people were recovered from the Peristeria beach area of Salamis on Sunday after two fires broke out on the island, a fire department spokesperson told Agence France-Presse. Hundreds of people were ordered to evacuate as crews worked to contain the flames.
In Belgium, authorities were battling what the Guardian described as the country’s biggest fire in more than a century. The flames neared the German border, prompting the evacuation of around 600 people.
Firefighting aircraft, including helicopters, were called in to help tackle the Belgian blaze, which broke out at a nature reserve. The scale of the fire underscored the severity of conditions facing firefighting teams across the continent.
The twin emergencies form part of a broader surge of wildfires affecting parts of Europe, placing pressure on emergency services in multiple countries at once.
Why it matters
Wildfires are increasingly straining emergency services across Europe, with deadly consequences and mass evacuations. The scale of the Belgian blaze, described as the biggest in more than a century, highlights how fires are reaching regions and intensities not seen in living memory.
Frequently asked questions
How many people died in the Greek wildfires?
Two people died in the fires on the Greek island of Salamis, with their bodies recovered from the Peristeria beach area on Sunday, according to a fire department spokesperson cited by AFP.
How serious is the fire in Belgium?
The Guardian reports that Belgium is battling its biggest fire in more than a century. The flames neared the German border and around 600 people were told to evacuate.
What response has been deployed to the Belgian fire?
Firefighting aircraft, including helicopters, were called in to help tackle the blaze at a Belgian nature reserve.
Timeline
- Greek island wildfire kills two people as helicopters called in to tackle Belgium forest blaze
The Guardian World: Belgium battling biggest fire in more than a century as flames near German border and 600 people told to evacuate Two people have died in fires on the Greek island of Salamis as firefighting aircraft were called on to help tame the biggest blaze in Belgium in more than a century
- Greek island wildfire kills two people as helicopters called in to tackle Belgian blaze
The Guardian World: Belgium battling biggest fire in more than a century as flames near German border and 600 people told to evacuate Two people have died in fires on the Greek island of Salamis as firefighting aircraft were called on to help tame the biggest blaze in Belgium in more than a century
- Greek wildfire kills two people as aircraft deployed to blaze at Belgian nature reserve
The Guardian World: Belgium battling biggest fire in more than a century as flames near German border and 600 people told to evacuate Two people have died in fires on the Greek island of Salamis as firefighting aircraft were called on to help tame the biggest blaze in Belgium in more than a century