From Athens to Bordeaux: Europe's Giant Wildfires Wreak Havoc and Leave Hundreds of Thousands Displaced

An unprecedented wave of massive wildfires is raging across Europe: in Greece, flames threaten Athens; in France, an area four times the size of Paris has burned; and in Spain, control has been achieved. Hundreds of thousands have been evacuated from their homes, and heavy damage underscores the climate threat.

An unprecedented wave of massive wildfires is sweeping across Europe, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate their homes. In Greece, flames spread in western Attica, near Athens, threatening communities and an industrial zone. Strong winds prevented firefighting planes from drawing water from the sea. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis received a briefing on the operation. In France, the giant fire in Gironde scorched 420 square kilometers, causing the flight of 224,000 people, the largest evacuation in the country outside wartime. In Provence, another fire consumed about 18 square kilometers. In Spain, the main fires, which have claimed at least 13 victims, did not advance today. The damage highlights the growing threat of wildfires in Europe, which has warmed at twice the global average rate since the 1980s.