Greece wildfires force evacuations as hundreds of firefighters battle blaze
The blaze spread rapidly thanks to high winds and temperatures soaring up to 44 degrees celsius. Fires have also been spreading through forest areas in northwest Turkey with one official describing the scene as 'an apocalypse'.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Kuwait Times
an hour ago
- Kuwait Times
Greece gets EU help to battle deadly wildfires
A helicopter drops water to a forest over trees following a wildfire near Psachna Village on Evia (Euboea) island, the second-largest Greek island, on July 27, 2025. -- AFP ATHENS: Greece on Sunday was battling wildfires that have ravaged homes and sparked evacuations, with Czech firefighters and Italian aircraft being deployed to help. Firefighters were working on five fire fronts late Sunday in the Peloponnese area west of Athens, as well as on the islands of Evia, Kythera and Crete. 'Today is expected to be a difficult day with a very high risk of fire, almost throughout the territory,' fire brigade spokesman Vassilis Vathrakogiannis said, though he added that the situation was improving. Forecasters predicted that strong winds that have been fanning the flames would die down on Sunday in most areas. But they warned that Kythera, a popular tourist island with 3,600 inhabitants, continued to face 'worrying' conditions. Evacuation messages were on Sunday sent to people on the island, which lies off the south-eastern tip of the Peloponnese. Giorgos Komninos, deputy mayor of Kythera, told the state-run ERT News channel that half of Kythera had been charred. 'Houses, beehives, olive trees have been burnt,' he said. ERT reported that a broad fire was still burning on the island late Sunday, but in smaller fronts and the situation was improving. Dozens of firefighters supported by three helicopters and two aircraft were battling the Kythera blaze, which erupted Saturday and forced the evacuation of people stranded on a popular tourist beach. Local authorities have requested a state of emergency so that stepped-up assistance can be provided for the island, which was previously stricken by a major fire in 2017. Eleven regions of Greece still face a very high fire risk, according to officials. Greece requested EU help on Saturday and two Italian aircraft were expected to arrive on Sunday, the fire brigade said. Units from the Czech Republic were already at work. Numerous flare-ups were reported overnight on the island of Evia, near Athens, where flames laid waste to swathes of forest and killed thousands of farm animals. Workers have toiled throughout the day to repair serious damage to Evia's electricity network and some villages were facing water supply disruptions. — AFP
DW
5 hours ago
- DW
Turkey sets new record of 50.5 degrees as Europe swelters
Turkey's Environment Ministry said meteorologists had registered a reading of 50.5 degrees Celsius (122.9 degrees Fahrenheit) in the southeast of the country, setting a nationwide record. The record temperature was registered on Friday at Silopi, the ministry said in a post on X on Saturday. Silopi is 10 kilometers (6 miles) from Turkey's borders with Iraq and Syria. The previous heat record, registered in August 2023, was 49.5 degrees Celsius. How hot is it in Turkey? Turkey is sweltering under a heat wave that has hit much of the eastern Mediterranean since Monday and is expected to last several more days. The Environment Ministry said 132 weather stations across Turkey registered record temperatures for July. Temperatures are up to 12 degrees Celsius higher than seasonal averages, Turkey's meteorological service said earlier this week. Hospitals have reported a surge in cases of dehydration, heatstroke and foodborne illnesses, according to Turkish newspaper Hürriyet. Turkey battles disastrous wildfires Temperatures above seasonal norms have been exacerbated by strong winds and dry conditions, resulting in dozens of wildfires across the country. A new fire broke out on Friday close to high-rise apartments in the popular Mediterranean resort city of Antalya in southern Turkey. Homes were evacuated in the city center on Friday and the outlying district of Aksu as the fire advanced. At 46.1 degrees Celsius, July temperatures in Antalya city were the highest for the month since records began in 1930. Blazes were also reported in the provinces of Karabuk, Sakarya and Bilecik in northern Turkey, forcing the evacuation of several villages. On Wednesday, 13 people died fighting a fire in Eskisehir province in western Turkey. Speaking after Friday prayers, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey was "faced with a truly great disaster." He said 25,000 personnel were fighting fires across the country, assisted by 27 planes, 105 helicopters and 6,000 ground vehicles. Eastern Mediterranean hit by heat wave The heat wave in the eastern Mediterranean region has left countries such as Greece, Cyprus and Albania reeling under extreme heat or fighting fires. Greece on Saturday asked the European Union help to battle wildfires that have sprung up in different regions. One of the worst fires broke out just north of Athens, destroying houses and forcing police to evacuate homes. Strong winds were fanning the blaze near Athens and other sites and the Peloponnese peninsula that juts out west of the capital, fire brigade spokesperson Vasileios Vathrakogiannis said on Saturday, according to the AFP news agency. They were also feeding the flames on the islands of Crete, Euboea and Kythera, he added. "The hard part is ahead of us," he told reporters. The fires broke out nearly a week into a heat wave, in which temperatures in Greece passed 45 degrees Celsius. Greek authorities shut the Acropolis, the country's top archaeological site, during the hottest part of the day from midday to 5 p.m. for much of the week, including Saturday. They warned tourists to stay in the shade.
Scottish Sun
7 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Caged Scots rapist's hero is the Yorkshire Ripper, claims devastated uncle
The rapist's uncle also revealed what his 'catchphrase' was 'KEEP SICKO CAGED' Caged Scots rapist's hero is the Yorkshire Ripper, claims devastated uncle Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE uncle of a caged rapist told last night how the Yorkshire Ripper is his violent nephew's hero. Paul Reynolds says 'monster' Kyle Kernachan, 28 — who carried out a terrifying sex attack using a crowbar — idolises serial killer Peter Sutcliffe. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe murdered 13 women 3 Kyle Kernachan was convicted of two charges at the High Court in Edinburgh Credit: Alamy And Mr Reynolds, 58, believes Kernachan, who was jailed for eight years in May, will forever be a danger. He said: 'I've known him all his life and used to love him like a son, but he has a warped mind and a weird sexual drive. 'He's often spoken about Peter Sutcliffe. We thought he was joking. 'I don't think Kyle's murdered anyone, but I think he's carried out more sexual assaults. 'The risk of letting him go is too great. I don't think he can help himself. 'His catchphrases were 'vaping and raping' and 'use and abuse them'.' The fact that he used a crowbar on a girl shows he was getting dangerous... He will be a danger back on the streets Kernachan, of Lochgelly, Fife, was found guilty of using a crowbar on a woman in a horror attack at Silverknowes Beach, Edinburgh, between 2015 and 2016. The sicko also raped a sleeping woman in the capital's Granton area in 2017 when she was drunk and asleep. A third charge of raping another sleeping woman was not proven at the High Court in Edinburgh. Mr Reynolds, of the capital said: 'We hope more victims come forward. Brit teen, 16, 'raped' while swimming at popular beach on Greek holiday island as tourist, 15, arrested 'The fact that he used a crowbar on a girl shows he was getting dangerous. 'Eight years is not long enough. "He will be a danger back on the streets, but I don't think he'll appeal. Monster Sutcliffe murdered 13 women and attempted to kill seven others. He died in 2020 aged 74. Kernachan was also put on the sex offenders register for life.
