Moment brazen ‘terrorist' arsonist sparks wildfires as deadly blazes spread across Europe hitting MORE holiday hotspots
Hundreds of dangerous and deadly fires have plagued Europe in recent weeks with dozens of holiday hotspots left ravaged.
Advertisement
19
The brazen moment an arsonist starts a terrifying wildfire in Bulgaria
Credit: X
19
The man, who has now been charged with terrorism, fanned the flames to make them spread faster
Credit: X
19
The Bulgarian village of Ponor, near Sofia, has been widely scorched in recent days
Credit: AFP
19
Firefighters work to extinguish a wildfire in Ourense, Spain
Credit: EPA
Portugal, Spain, Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, Italy and Bulgaria are all still reeling from the deadly fires crashing along the Mediterranean.
Shocking CCTV footage from a quiet road in Bulgaria has now revealed the moment one of the 160 fires battering the country started.
A 33-year-old man can be seen setting fire to several patches of grass which sit
next
to a pavement as he and his friend walk past.
He casually walks off pretending nothing has happened as the flames begin to grow higher.
Advertisement
Moments later, he returns and can be seen trying to fan the flames with his hands so they spread quicker up the hill.
Authorities have managed to track down the arsonist and charged him with terrorism.
Several other people have been arrested over similar offences in recent days.
Sabotage has become a rife issue in southern Europe since a heatwave hit earlier this month.
Advertisement
Most read in The Sun
Latest
In Bulgaria alone, around 90 per cent of the blazes have been caused by human error and negligence, according to Miroslav Rashkov, the head of the interior ministry.
Footage has already caught several suspects across the continent.
Shock moment beachgoers surrounded by smoke as raging wildfires in Italian hols hotspot
CCTV in Turkey caught a man suspiciously carrying bottles filled with water before emptying them and refilling them with petrol at a
gas
station.
The suspect
was later found by police with burns on his arms and legs after a fire in the village of Kismanlar.
Advertisement
President
He announced in a live TV broadcast: "Let us not forget that this is a war, a defence of our green homeland, against this insidious enemy."
Spain and Portugal
Brits have been put on high alert over wildfires tearing through the popular holiday island of Tenerife in
Spain
.
A fire sparked in the north and has continued to spread towards busy resorts in Santiago del Teide in recent hours.
Advertisement
Locals have already been ordered to evacuate in the Valle de Arriba area with around 50
homes
told to leave.
Tenerife has been on red alert for the high risk of forest fires after the soaring temperatures hit 36 degrees.
The first fire started at around 2pm on Monday.
19
Authorities in Galicia have reported around 50 hectares being impacted by the blaze
Credit: EPA
Advertisement
19
The Brit holiday hotspot of Tenerife was hit by the island's first major blaze of the summer on Monday
Credit: x
19
Ponte da Barca in Portugal has also been hit by wildfires
Credit: X
Initial reports indicated that the fire was located in the area known as Partidos de Franquis - a rural site near San José de Los Llanos in El Tanque.
A major operation was launched to control the fire, both by land and air, with police, firefighters, island government teams, the Civil Guard, helicopters and water-spraying planes all involved.
Advertisement
President of Tenerife's government, Rosa Davila said conditions were "complicated" due to the extreme heat and high winds.
The Iberian Peninsula is also bracing for further issues in the coming days.
Four Spanish planes joined more than 250 Portuguese firefighters battling a mountain blaze in Viana do Castelo district on the Portuguese-Spanish border.
The flames were spreading in two directions and were being pulled around by strong winds, civil protection chief Marco Domingues said.
Advertisement
Large swaths of northern and southern
Portugal
are now on the highest alert for wildfires.
Turkey
The most deadly of the European fires have come from
Turkey
.
At least 17 people have been killed in the apocalyptic wildfires as record-breaking 50C heat and howling winds fuel devastation across the eastern Mediterranean.
The infernos have forced more than 3,500 residents to flee their homes, with vast swathes of forest reduced to ash.
Advertisement
Ten rescue volunteers and forestry workers lost their lives in a blaze in Eskisehir last week, while four more died outside Bursa over the weekend.
Two volunteer firefighters succumbed to injuries after being pulled from an overturned water tanker.
19
Ten rescue volunteers and forestry workers lost their lives in a blaze in Eskisehir
Credit: Getty
19
A terrifying trail of flames seen in a forested area in Bursa, Turkey
Credit: Getty
Advertisement
19
Another worker died at the scene and a firefighter suffered a fatal heart attack on Sunday.
Turkey's forestry minister Ibrahim Yumakli confirmed that crews battled at least 44 separate fires on Sunday alone, declaring the western provinces of Izmir and Bilecik disaster areas.
Firefighters have battled more than 600 blazes in the past week, with over 1,900 emergency responders drafted in to help save trapped residents.
Advertisement
According to forecasts, the temperatures will remain fiery this week with 45C to 50C heat expected in southeast Turkey.
Greece
Holidaymakers are also being urged to take caution when travelling in Greece this month.
A week-long heatwave peaking at 45C has sparked multiple wildfires, forcing mass evacuations near Athens and across the islands of Crete and Evia.
A huge blaze scorched a northern suburb of the Greek capital over the weekend, with 115 firefighters and 24 vehicles deployed on Evia, backed by six planes and seven helicopters.
Advertisement
Some 1,500 people were
19
Smoke and flame rise as firefighting teams respond from the air and on the ground to a forest fire that broke out in Krioneri near Athens
Credit: Getty
19
Firefighters try to extinguish flames as a wildfire burns on the island of Kythira, Greece
Credit: Reuters
19
Thousands of civilians have been evacuated due to the fires
Credit: Getty
Advertisement
The night sky turned orange as the burning blazes left a trail of destruction on the popular island.
Evacuations were ordered at three sites outside the port of Ierapetra on the island's south coast, authorities said.
Homes were reportedly damaged as flames swept through hillside forests, fanned by strong winds.
Wildfires, many of them destructive,
Advertisement
Greece sits n an area dubbed "a wildfire hotspot", with blazes common during hot and dry summers.
Cyprus
Meanwhile, Cyprus is still battling what officials have branded its worst wildfires "for 50 years".
A massive wildfire killed two people as it ripped through forests outside Cyprus's second city of Limassol.
With temperatures soaring to 44C, dozens of homes have been destroyed in the Troodos mountains.
Advertisement
Brit couple
19
The wildfire-burned land in the mountain of Limassol at Souni village in Limassol, Cyprus
Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
19
Smoke fills the air as a forest fire rages near the Cypriot village of Omodos
Credit: AFP
19
Advertisement
Ben told The Sun: 'We lost everything that day, there's nothing left.
'We had fish tanks in the house and there was absolutely nothing left of what was in the water except melted glass on the floor.'
Two people were found dead in a burnt-out car as more than 70 houses were reduced to rubble.
Italy
Meanwhile, in Sardinia, Italy, tourists were sent running for their lives when flames ripped right down to the beach at Punta Molentis on the island's southeast coast.
Advertisement
Sunbathers abandoned their towels and spades as thick black smoke engulfed the shoreline.
The coast guard evacuated 102 people by sea, while helicopters hovered overhead during the dramatic operation.
Some 200
cars
and a kiosk were torched as the blaze tore through the Sarrabus area — described by local media as a 'jewel' now reduced to cinders.
Read more on the Irish Sun
Footage showed burnt-out vehicles after flames ravaged the parking area, leaving many stranded.
Advertisement
Fire crews deployed two Canadair firefighting planes, a helicopter, regional aircraft, and even an Italian Air Force vehicle to contain the inferno as winds fanned the flames.
19
The recent fires ravaged the provinces of Palermo and Trapani
Credit: Splash
19
Residential areas in between the town of Grisi, near the city of Palermo on the island of Sicily, were badly affected
Credit: Getty
19
Advertisement
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
2 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
PSG star Achraf Hakimi facing rape charge after ‘inviting woman he met on Instagram back to family home'
PSG star Achraf Hakimi is reportedly facing trial for rape after allegedly inviting a woman over to his home near Paris. Prosecutors have signed a final indictment requesting the 26-year-old to be charged in criminal court. Advertisement 2 Achraf Hakimi is reportedly facing trial for rape Credit: AFP 2 Hakimi has denied the allegations and claims it's a plot against him Credit: AFP If convicted, the Moroccan national faces up to 15 years in prison. The case stems from an alleged incident on February 25, 2023. According to After a month of exchanges, he reportedly ordered her an Uber to his home in Boulogne-Billancourt while his wife and children were away on holiday. Advertisement Read more on Hakimi Once inside, the woman claims Hakimi kissed her mouth and breasts through her clothes, despite her protests. She alleged he then assaulted her without consent. According to her account, she managed to push him away with her foot before fleeing and texting a friend to pick her up. She went to a police station the same day to 'make a statement of rape,' though she initially declined to file a formal complaint. Advertisement Most read in Football Messages she later provided to investigators reportedly showed her distress following the encounter. Achraf Hakimi shows what he is made of at PSG training On March 3, 2023, Hakimi was charged with rape by an investigating judge and placed under judicial supervision after being held in custody. He has consistently denied the allegations. The footballer, currently holidaying in Advertisement 'The truth is that when you are successful and things are going well, you become an easy target for certain people and that taught me that you can't trust many people around you,' Hakimi said this January in a interview. 'They wanted to blackmail me and that's why we filed a complaint and it's going well. The justice system handled things rather well.' His lawyer, Fanny Colin, slammed the prosecution's latest move. 'These requisitions are incomprehensible and senseless in light of the evidence in the case,' she told Le Parisien. Advertisement 'It establishes the plaintiff's lies, particularly through the psychological assessments conducted on her. 'Achraf Hakimi and I remain as calm as when the proceedings began. 'If these requests were to be followed, we would obviously pursue all avenues of appeal.'
The Irish Sun
5 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
‘World's biggest' XXL Labubu doll worth £100,000 is found by cops during raid on infamous crime gang
AN XXL Labubu doll worth more than £100,000 was uncovered by Hong Kong police during a major raid on Tuesday morning. The gang, suspected of laundering £4 billion, had been under surveillance for two and a half years - but police never expected to find a Advertisement 4 The assets seized by police include a giant Labubu doll Credit: Hong Kong Police / X 4 Hong Kong police have been monitoring the gang for the past two and a half years Credit: Hong Kong Police / X 4 Hong Kong police have arrested 82 people in a citywide anti-triad raid Credit: Hong Kong Police / X According to the Hong Kong police launched a large-scale raid on Tuesday, writing in a The force seized €780,000 in cash, 11,000 bottles of wine, luxury watches, gold and a 5ft2 Labubu doll. The figure is said to be rare - one of only fifteen in the world. Advertisement read more world news A similar piece went under the hammer in Beijing in June for around £113,000. Police said they arrested 82 suspects during the operation - 55 men and 27 women, ranging in age from 19 to 78. Among them was the alleged 44-year-old ringleader. He is suspected of running the operation and involving friends and family in the money laundering scheme. Advertisement Most read in The US Sun Police added on X: "The ringleader manipulated his family & friends as well as the members of his gang into laundering the crime proceeds via calculated means." They listed this means as "continuously laundering the illicit funds via a trust company" and "committing #LoanFraud - using some seemingly lawful import trades as fronts." Dramatic moment crowds join massive queue to grab viral Labubu dolls as latest doll craze sweeps across the world The gang's funds came from prostitution, drug trafficking and illegal gambling, according to the force. Assets worth around £115 million were frozen by police. Advertisement It's still unclear whether Triad was banking on a rise in the Labubu doll's value, were fans of the character or whether the toy might be a fake. Labubus have The have been spotted dangling from the designer bags of Rihanna, Kim Kardashian and David Beckham. Former England footy captain Advertisement Kim Kardashian posted a shot of her collection, while former What is the Labubu doll craze? LABUBU is a brand of plushies designed by Hong Kong-born artist Kasing Lung. The brand made its debut in 2015, but skyrocketed in global popularity after hitting Pop Mart shelves in 2019. Pop Mart is a Chinese toy retailer, known for its collectable designer models that are often sold in a blind box format. The company has a stock market value of over £31.6bn. After mammoth success overseas, the Labubu craze has made its way to the UK. The first three months of 2025 were wildly successful for the brand, with Brits searching high and low to nab one of the quirky figurines. In June, Labubu sales in the US went up by 5,000% compared to the year before, according to estimates from equity research firm M Science. But Labubu's popularity has led to a rise in counterfeits - sometimes referred to as Lafufu dolls. 4 Hong Kong police have arrested 82 people in a citywide anti-triad operation Credit: Hong Kong Police / X
The Irish Sun
7 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
I was a burglar – how thieves cunningly scout out your home, why pets HELP crooks & ways to stay safe over summer hols
BLOWTORCHES, letterbox tricks and hijacking estate agent ads - the modern criminal has a toolbox full of ingenious ways to break into your home. Now, with thousands of Brits jetting off on their summer holidays, shameless crooks will be plotting their next targets - but our team of experts and their brilliant insider tips can help you 7 Burglars are finding new ways to get into your property and steal your belongings Credit: Getty 7 Crooks can even use blowtorches to break the locks in people's doors Credit: MEN Media This week, we revealed how masked thieves smashed their way into With the property currently up for sale, it is feared the gang may have checked the layout on a property website ad, with a source telling The Sun: 'The raiders must have known the house was empty." This, according to insiders, is one of a raft of cunning tactics criminals use to plan their break-ins - and it's not just celebrities at risk. To find out how not to fall foul, The Sun has spoken to security experts and former burglars who know the tricks of the trade first-hand. Here, they explain how you can make your home less attractive to burglars - and reveal the innovative ways they're able to make off with our belongings. Don't trust the uniform alone Former gang enforcer Lennox Rodgers committed around 20 burglaries and spent 21 years in and out of prison before going straight. He turned his life around after leaving prison for a final time in 2004 and went on to co-found Lennox, from Greenhithe, Kent, is now a security expert. One of his biggest tips is that you can't always trust a person in uniform. 'We used to call police to a block of flats telling them there was a domestic going on and we thought the husband had a knife,' he says. 'Then while they were heading to the top floor to sort out the fake altercation, our car thieves would break into their vehicles to steal police jackets and other things. 'That way when we broke into a bank or elsewhere the staff would see our uniform and wouldn't pay as much attention because they thought we had a right to be there. 'Using other people's identity to avoid raising suspicion has been going on for decades – we've done it with lots of different uniforms, including overalls.' Hammer gang raid Harry Redknapp's £5m mansion and steal his wife Sandra's jewellery as cops probe theory on how they got in Stealing your car with letterbox trick Security expert Robin Knox, from Edinburgh, explains how criminals can get away with your motor without breaking in. 'Keyless entry cars emit a signal that unlocks the vehicle when you are in a certain range and doesn't need a key to start the ignition,' he says. 'All that criminals need to do is stand by your letterbox and essentially record that signal - by taking a snapshot of the code – which they then play back to get into your car.' Robin advised the best way to avoid this is by getting an RFID blocking case to prevent the signal being sent out. He founded Boundary, an alarm system controlled by an app, in 2018 after being the victim of up to 10 attempted burglaries at both his family home and the businesses he ran. Removing windows... or using the roof In 2020, Robin hired a former burglar to understand how criminals break into people's homes . 'One thing that really struck me was that he would sometimes break into people's homes through the roof,' Robin says. 'He would lift off the tiles and cut a hole and go in through the loft, it just shows the lengths burglars will go to if they want to get in.' Another method was taking out the beading of windows so they didn't have to smash glass. 7 We revealed how Harry Redknapp's Dorset home was targeted by a hammer gang Credit: BNPS 7 There are fears Harry and wife Sandra were targeted after raiders studied their home on a property website Credit: Instagram The reformed criminal, who was a burglar for 12 years, also revealed they often squeeze through tiny spaces – including a bathroom window that's only 30cm tall – to get into your home. To Robin, this highlights the importance of always shutting and locking windows and doors – it's always best to fit anti-snap locks. Why you need to have two front door locks Former burglar turned security expert The TV regular, who starred on the BBC's Beat The Burglar, broke into two houses in his late teens before going straight after nearly being sent to prison. 'If you have just got one lock on your door it's a guaranteed entrance point for the burglar because that cylinder isn't actually a lock, it just holds the door in place,' Michael tells The Sun. 'You should have two locks on your front door and always use the second lock, burglars can lean on your front door and if it moves more than two millimetres they know the second lock is not engaged so they can easily break in.' How to protect your home from burglars Install a home security system : Consider alarms, CCTV cameras, and smart doorbells. Choose systems that allow remote monitoring via smartphone. Secure doors and windows : Ensure all doors and windows have robust locks. Use deadbolts and window locks for added security. Consider installing a peephole or door chain. Improve outdoor lighting : Install motion-sensor lights around your property. Ensure pathways, driveways, and entrances are well-lit. Maintain your garden : Keep hedges and shrubs trimmed to eliminate hiding spots. Store tools and ladders securely to prevent their use in break-ins. Use timers for lights : Set timers to turn lights on and off to give the impression someone is home. Consider using smart plugs to control appliances remotely. Secure garages and sheds : Ensure these areas are locked with strong padlocks. Store valuable items out of sight. Get to know your neighbours : Join or form a neighbourhood watch scheme. Encourage neighbours to keep an eye on each other's properties. Be cautious with social media : Avoid posting holiday plans or location updates online. Ensure privacy settings are secure to limit who can see your posts. Mark valuables with a UV pen : Use a UV pen to mark valuables with your postcode and house number. Register items with a property database for easier recovery if stolen. Consider installing a safe : Use a safe to store important documents and valuable items. Ensure the safe is securely bolted to the floor or wall. Review your home insurance : Check that your home insurance policy is up to date. Ensure it covers the value of your possessions. Conduct regular security checks : Periodically review and update your home security measures. Ensure all systems and locks are in good working order. Never give a virtual tour when selling up In a bid to help to sell homes, estate agents often create a virtual tour of the property – but according to Michael this is one of the worst things you could do. 'It's such an easy crime to commit because you can look inside a property online by using the virtual tour, it's basically like online shopping for criminals,' he explains. 'You can see the layout of someone's home, if they have alarms in their rooms and most importantly the types of items they could steal.' Pets are no threat - and often helpful Often in an attempt to dissuade burglars from breaking in people put up 'Beware of the Dog' signs in their windows – but according to Michael that's no deterrent. 'Most dogs are friendly and come up for fuss, we also know that by having a dog you may not have or set your alarm because you pet is running around the house,' he says. 'People with pets also tend to leave the key in the backdoor or near it which weakens your home security – and if you have a cat flap that could be used to steal keys too.' Be careful what you say... and post online Lennox warns that people should be wary of discussing holiday plans in the pub because if a wannabe criminal is listening they can easily follow a person home and find out their address. Not only that, but he advises against telling friends that you're going away too – as they could inadvertently make others aware that your property is empty. Burglars can lean on your front door and if it moves more than two millimetres they know the second lock is not engaged so they can easily break in Michael explains that this also extends to social media and you should be very cautious about what you post publicly. 'Stop advertising your own property to burglars on Facebook by posting pictures of what you own because all that does is attract the wrong sorts of people,' he says. 'Also do not post that you are going away on holiday because that's asking for trouble, it's best to post those selfies when you get home.' Wheelie bins & plant pots are a gift to thieves 'If you're caught carrying tools to break into someone's home you are classed as going equipped and that's an offence, so most clever burglars won't do that,' Robin says. 'Instead they will use stuff left around your house like ladders in your back garden or your wheelie bin to gain access to break a window or they may break into your shed to look for tools. 'They may also use a heavy item like a big plant pot to break in too or if you have a pile of bricks it's worth clearing them up as you're essentially providing someone with the key to your house." Keep your hedges short & avoid detached houses Robin explains that it's important to establish a security perimeter around your house to make your property less attractive to potential intruders. 'Installing lighting means burglars are easier to spot, having a gravel path means they can be heard and securing gates and sheds is a must," he says. Most dogs are friendly and come up for fuss, we also know that by having a dog you may not have or set your alarm 'Keeping your hedges cut low so burglars can be seen in your garden and keeping tight with your neighbours are also great ways to make your home less appealing.' Lennox attests to this and also claims people living in detached houses or at the end of a road are more at risk because they have 'blind spots'. Your alarm may not be faulty Another trick used by burglars is deliberately setting off house alarms from the outside to encourage the police and homeowner to go to the property. 'That way the police and the owner will show up, see there is no sign of a break in and leave,' Lennox explains. 'Shortly after we would return and steal whatever we wanted. If the alarm went off again most people would just assume their alarm was faulty.' Rainy days are best for burglaries Britain's bad weather can also provide perfect opportunities for burglars, Lennox claims. 'When I was a criminal we would take advantage of the bad weather because wind, rain, snow and fog can obscure security cameras,' he says. 'People are also less vigilant when it's foggy or windy and are not looking out the window and when they hear a sound they may think it's a wheelie bin falling over so don't call the police. 7 Lennox Rodgers is a former burglar and gang member turned security expert 7 Robin Knox has suffered up to 10 burglaries in his lifetime and founded home security app Boundary 7 Michael Fraser appeared on BBC's Beat The Burglar, This Morning and other shows
