Greece battles wildfire on Crete for a third day as temperatures rise
Around 130 firefighters, 48 vehicles and six helicopters were deployed on the third day of the effort, with the wind and dry conditions raising the risk that blazes might restart in areas of the island where they had already been contained.
In Greece's capital Athens, about 800 people were evacuated from the suburb of Koropi where more than 120 firefighters battled a blaze supported by eight airplanes and eight helicopters, a fire brigade spokesperson said.
The fires in Crete and in Athens come as much of Europe swelters in an early summer heatwave, which officials have linked to at least eight deaths on the continent.
The blazes in Crete, which broke out in a village about 16 km (10 miles) east of Ierapetra on Wednesday, have consumed swathes of agricultural land in the southeastern corner of the island, leaving dead animals and scorched farmhouses.
Olive farmer Giorgos Poulis was sorting out destroyed farming equipment beside his burned-out truck.
"The damage is incalculable in every way, from water drilling equipment, pipes, tires, cars, the cement mixer," he said, gesturing around him.
George Tzarakis, head of Hoteliers of Ierapetra and southeastern Crete, told Reuters most of the 3,500 tourists who had been evacuated were returning to their hotels.
Tourism is a key earner in Crete, the largest island in Greece, and local hoteliers were concerned about future bookings as the fire hit at the start of the peak summer holiday season.
Temperatures in Greece were forecast to reach up to 38 degrees Celsius (100.4 Fahrenheit) on Friday, the Greek weather service said.
In another Athens suburb, Pikermi, some 148 firefighters battled a fire that broke out on Thursday, threatening many homes, cutting power and prompting authorities to move more than 300 people to safety. The fire was contained but not extinguished, the fire brigade official said.
In Italy, the health ministry put 20 of the 27 cities it monitors for heatwaves on red alert on Friday. RAI public broadcaster said temperatures would go as high as 38 C in Florence and 37 C in Rome, Bologna and Perugia.
Spain's Health Ministry estimates that 341 deaths have been attributable to heat-related illnesses since the beginning of June, as the country grapples with soaring temperatures.
With the heat comes a higher risk of wildfires.
Greece and other Mediterranean countries are in an area dubbed "a wildfire hotspot" by scientists - with blazes common during hot and dry summers. These have become more destructive in recent years due to a fast-changing climate, prompting calls for a new approach.
"With multiple heatwaves and fire risks expected through September, there is an urgent need to shift from reactive response to proactive preparedness," the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said this week.
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The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
‘Like working in a volcano': stories from six countries in Europe on a day of extreme heat
Hundreds of millions of people across Europe suffered an extreme heatwave this week, with temperatures smashing records as the continent sweltered. With the human-caused climate emergency pushing the mercury ever higher, early in the summer Europe is experiencing troubling temperatures. From an Italian chef who works in a 60C kitchen to a homeless Dutch man given shelter in a basement, here is the story of how people across Europe coped, told over a single day this past week: Ruth Michaelson Onur Yıldırım woke up early on Tuesday morning and had a cold shower. If he starts the day any later, or without the shower, he'll be 'tired, depressed, and sweaty' all day. With a 12-hour shift of taxi driving ahead of him, he wanted to get on the road quickly. The temperature was already above 20C, and by the end of the day, Turkish firefighters across the country would have fought back multiple wildfires. Yıldırım is lucky – his car has functioning air conditioning, and many of his customers expect he'll use it. But he knows from previous summers that weeks of extreme temperature changes throughout the day can make him sick. Lorenzo Tondo In the searing heart of inland Sicily, Luigi Randazzo, 47, a sous-chef at a restaurant was plating a dish of mussels. 'I was working next to the kettle, where the thermometer read 60 degrees,' he said. 'The fryer was on. So was the oven. It felt like working inside a volcano.' While diners waited in the cool comfort of air conditioning, Randazzo moved from burner to burner in the kitchen, clad in a chef's uniform soaked with sweat. 'It felt like someone had thrown a bucket of water in my face,' he said. 'We have an air conditioner in the kitchen, but it's completely useless when all the machines are running.' In 2021, temperatures in Sicily hit a record 48.8C (119.8F). Randazzo works in the part of the island where the desert is slowly advancing across the countryside, and where, in the last six months of 2023, just 150mm of rain fell. On Tuesday, Randazzo said he was dreaming of going home and taking an ice-cold shower. But the lunch service had just begun. ''My legs were trembling with exhaustion. But you know at that moment you can't stop – not even for a second,' he added. 'That hour felt like an entire summer.' Senay Boztas It was early afternoon in Amsterdam, and Karim Taif, 46, tried to escape the heat at a shelter for homeless people in the city. 'It's cool here and a good place,' said Taif. The well-known shelter, called De Kloof, is in the basement of a historic canal house and is open until 6pm to offer shade, showers, refreshments and sunscreen to the homeless community. For the first time, the city now has a 'summer heat ruling' extending the opening hours of shelters. Taif, who was born in Morocco, grew up in Amsterdam and once worked as a barman in Switzerland. But he struggled to find housing in the Netherlands after returning in 2021 and in October, he said, he crept into a boat tied to a dock. He was found by the owner, but they agreed to let him stay. 'In the winter, it is very cold and in the summer it is so hot, you have to get out of it very early,' said Taif. 'Everything is getting hotter and hotter,' said Taif, smoking a cigarette in the garden of the shelter. 'The south of Europe is drying up … and it feels like the Sahara is moving ever closer.' Ajit Niranjan Sven, 58, had felt the heat creep up over the last two weeks as he rewired a telecommunications box. By Tuesday afternoon, it had hit 33C, and would rise to a sweltering 37C the following day. 'I've set this up to meet my needs,' he said from under a bright green umbrella. 'I've got a coolbox, I avoid working under the blazing sun, and I put a cap on when it hits. Otherwise, it's a case of not moving too fast.' German employees do not have a legal right to take time off work in the heat but bosses have a duty of care to their workers. This can mean setting up fans in offices or setting up shade on construction sites. 'For me, the heat is normal,' said Sven, 'but you do have to do things differently.' Jon Henley Built of cast iron and glass in 1866, a couple of decades before the Eiffel Tower, the Marché St Quentin is the largest covered food market in Paris. It was designed to be light and airy in all seasons, but not for 39.3C – which is what the nearby Lariboisière weather station recorded at 5pm on Tuesday. 'It was inhumane, really brutal,' said Sahra Baadache, 27, one of the market's three cheesemongers. 'A sauna. A steam bath. St Quentin is basically a greenhouse and there's no way of ventilating or cooling it down. It was 42C in here by mid-afternoon. People really suffered. Stallholders who live nearby were going home for cold showers.' Cheese and heat do not mix; textures and flavours change irreversibly. Baadache did what she could to save her 150-odd varieties, bringing out only a small fraction of her stock and covering up her two refrigerated display cabinets to keep the cold in. 'They survived, just,' she said. 'But I was a wreck – sweating about my cheeses, and sat behind two fridge motors generating even more heat.' And, of course, there were no customers: 'No one came. So it was like a double punishment.' Ashifa Kassam On Tuesday evening, as most tourists wandered through Madrid's Plaza Mayor wearing as little clothing as possible, David, 40, climbed into a furry gorilla suit, layered with a Real Madrid shirt. 'I'm soaked through with sweat,' the street performer said. 'It's even hotter inside the suit, as the inner layer is canvas.' Originally from Peru, he had started the job three months ago, perspiring his way through Spain's hottest June on record and now the first heatwave of the summer. 'I make enough to eat,' he said. While the beating sun meant most tourists were huddled under the shade cast by the plaza's arcade or under the parasols and misting systems of the plaza's restaurants and cafes, Daniel hovered in the middle of the shadeless plaza, aiming to attract attention. Every now and then, he was successful, with a trickle of tourists darting towards him just long enough to snap a photo. As temperatures climbed this week, he had done what he could to mitigate the heat, shifting his start time to early evening in the hope that the one- or two-degree drop in temperatures would offer some respite. A quick cold shower, before and after his shift, had also become a necessity. 'I play football, so that helps my body deal with the heat of the summer,' he said. 'But a job's a job – I have no other choice.'
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Here comes the sun! Brits are in for damp day or two before ANOTHER heatwave hits... and summer finally seems to stick
Brits will be needing both an umbrella and their sun cream only days apart as the weather in the next few days is set to swing from one extreme to another. Thunder and lightning were seen across the UK yesterday, with flood alerts in place in some areas of England. But as the clouds begin clearing up today with some light showers, the country is looking ahead to its third heatwave of the summer, with the mercury hitting above 30C by the end of the week. However, the muggy weather will stay into the nights, making it difficult for some to sleep. Hay fever sufferers will also be cursing the heatwave as they will be blighted by high pollen count. Today will be drier and brighter for many, with lengthy sunny spells, though a few showers lingering in the southeast, which could be heavy at times. In the north, it will be cloudier with patchy rain as well as cooler. From tomorrow til Thursday, high pressure from the west will build bringing widely dry, settled conditions for the south. Further north it will be breezier with spells of rain at times but temperatures on the rise nonetheless. Wednesday is looking to be the start of the warm period, with the weekend predicted to stay in the low 30s. The duration of the hot spell remains difficult to gauge, and there are uncertainties about just how high temperatures will rise. It also appears as though the UK will avoid the stifling weather of the high 30s and low 40s seen in the Mediterranean. The heat will feel unrelenting for many, as the UK will have only just come out of its second heatwave last week and the warmest June on record for England. Marco Petagna, senior meteorologist at the Met Office, said: 'I think Wednesday is probably going to be the day when we could start to reach the thresholds of 25 to 28 degrees, depending on where you are. 'But of course, you need three days at those temperatures for it to be able to be called a technical heatwave. 'So, although the temperature will be reaching the criteria, we probably won't actually reach an official heatwave until around Friday, to give the three consecutive days at those temperatures. 'But temperatures are going to continue to climb as we go toward the end of the week and certainly by Friday and Saturday we could see 30 degrees, perhaps just nudging into the low 30s. 'At the weekend, we could just start to see humidity increasing a little bit as well and nighttime temperatures look like they are going to be, so it will be starting to become more uncomfortable by night.' Mr Petagna added: 'It's a bit of a question mark going through the weekend early next week as to how long the heat will last and how high the temperatures will get, because some models are sort of pushing the heat away a bit more quickly, whereas others keep the heat going. 'At this stage it looks as though certainly into next weekend, we should hold on to hot weather across the south of the UK and temperatures could again certainly get into the low 30s in a few spots. 'And we are going to see some very high pollen and very high UV levels as well. 'But at this stage, we've managed to escape some of the very highest temperatures, those seen across Spain and Portugal in particular, where it has reached the mid-40s.' The hot spell comes after a yellow warning was activated for the East of England, East Midlands and Yorkshire & Humber between 7am and 7pm yesterday. The Met Office warned on the weekend that hail, flooding and lightning strikes may be possible in these areas that will result in damage to some buildings. Specific areas that were set to be impacted by the adverse weather conditions include Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Peterborough, Suffolk, East Riding of Yorkshire, Kingston upon Hull, North East Lincolnshire and North Lincolnshire. Thunderstorms were expected to cause widespread travel disruption with the Met Office saying there is 'a good chance driving conditions will be affected by spray, standing water and/or hail, leading to longer journey times by car and bus.' Locals were also told to expect delays to train services. Parts of eastern England were ready to see a downpour of 15-25 millimetres of rain which some feared would lead to flooding of homes and businesses. The heavy rain came as relief for some after the UK soldiered on through two heatwaves last month which posed a 'risk to life'. Met Office figures showed that England saw its warmest June on record with a mean temperature of 16.9C, and the second warmest for the UK overall since records began in 1884 with a mean temperature of 15.2C. Sunseekers basked in searing 34.7C in St James's Park, London, on July 1 as the UK saw its hottest day of the year reached. It followed the warmest and sunniest spring on record for the UK. Scientists warned the searing temperatures earlier in June were made 100 times more likely because of human-caused climate change. In Bedfordshire, the council gritters were dispatched to protect the roads and provide grip for drivers amid concerns the heat could cause the tarmac to soften. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) activated a five-day warning starting last Friday due to concerns that there could be 'a rise in deaths, particularly among those ages 65 and over or with health conditions'. The amber heat health alert covered the East Midlands, South East, South West and East of England, alongside Somerset - where Glastonbury was roaring ahead. Meanwhile, Europeans were warned to stay indoors as the continent goes on high alert for extreme 47C heat. Indeed, a new Spanish high temperature record for June of 46C was confirmed on June 28 by the AEMET - Spain's state meteorological agency. Forest fires and flash floods wrecked chaos across the continent, with warnings of an intense heatwave. Sweltering infernos melted roads in Italy while raging wildfires tore through Greece. Two-thirds of Portugal were be on high alert last week for extreme heat and forest fires, with 42C expected in the capital Lisbon. It was so hot that Sicily and areas of northern Italy banned outdoor work in the hottest hours of the day. In Nice, on the French Riviera, nearly 250 portable fans were distributed to schools to help students cope with the heat. As July kicks off, forecasters said temperatures in the mid-30Cs are still relatively uncommon for the month in the UK, although they are becoming increasingly frequent with climate change.
Daily Mail
5 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Now that's what you call a burner phone! Creepy case is covered in fake SKIN that burns just like human flesh when exposed to UV
From sparkly plastic cases to the classic Boomer-favourite wallet case, phone cases already come in a range of weird and wonderful styles. But the latest case is arguably the most unusual one yet. O2 has joined forces with pioneering Creative Technologist, Marc Teyssier, on a new phone case, which is designed to mimic human skin. Dubbed the 'Skincase', the creepy case is 3D-printed using silicone, which means it not only looks like human skin, but also feels like it. Available in four skintones, the Skincase features special pigments that change colour when exposed to UV – just like our skin burning in the sun. O2 hopes it will remind holidaymakers to take as much notice of their skin while on holiday as they do their phone. 'Our phones are objects we don't expect to change and to react in a humane way,' Mr Teyssier said. 'By creating a tangible, visceral reaction to UV exposure, together with O2, the Skincase not only raises awareness of sun safety towards but highlights how sun protection is an undeniable priority.' Europe has seen record-breaking temperatures this week, as a deadly heatwave sweeps the continent. Spain recorded its hottest June day on record at the weekend, with 46C recorded in El Granado, in the Andalucían province of Huelva. Meanwhile, a new record high for June was also recorded in Mora in Portugal on Sunday, at 46.6C (116F), according to the national meteorological agency. With many Brits counting down to their European breaks, O2 set out to find a way to remind these holidaymakers about sun safety. 'Holidays should be about creating unmissable moments, bringing home souvenirs and making memories – not about roaming bills and sunburn,' said Christian Hindennach, Chief Commercial Officer at Virgin Media O2. 'With mobiles being such an essential part of everyday life, and while on holiday as our research shows, we've created the Skincase to demonstrate in real time just how severe the effects of sunburn can be, and to promote awareness of vital sun safety among holidaymakers.' To create the case, Mr Teyssier combined silicone with a UV-reacting pigment, and fed the mix through a 3D printer. To make it look as lifelike as possible, the researcher even etched lines into the synthetic skin, making it look like the palm of a hand. To create the case, Mr Teyssier combined silicone with a UV-reacting pigment, and fed the mix through a 3D printer When it's inside or in the shade, the case is either beige, tan, or dark brown, depending on the design. However, when you take it outside, or shine a UV light on it, it quickly changes colour - turning either pink or darker brown. Unfortunately, the phone case is still a prototype, and it remains unclear when, or if it will go on sale in the UK. This isn't the first time that Mr Teyssier has come out with a skin-inspired phone case. Back in 2019, the researcher developed a skin-like phone case that r esponded to different forms of human contact such as tickling, caressing and pinching. Speaking at the time, he said: 'This skin has a subtle surface texture – the sensing is performed in the dermis and the hypodermis layer (fat layer) and the elasticity is what allows us to perform expressive gestures such as pinching.'
