Southern Europe Grapples with Intensifying Wildfires and Tragic Losses

Athens, Greece - Wildfires have intensified across southern Europe, with Greece's third-largest city facing a challenging nightlong defense. Tragically, at least three deaths have been reported in Spain, Turkey, and Albania.

In the Greek port city of Patras, firefighters are struggling to safeguard homes and agricultural facilities as fires ravage olive groves. Water-dropping aircraft and helicopters are actively involved, with residents aiding efforts using branches and buckets.

Firefighting resources are stretched thin across the region, as countries are grappling with multiple fire outbreaks after enduring weeks of heatwaves and soaring temperatures.

Aircraft are being deployed between fires on the western Greek mainland, the Patras area, and the island of Zakynthos. Greece has also dispatched help to Albania, joining a global effort in tackling numerous wildfires. In one incident near Tirana, an 80-year-old man lost his life.

In Albania, four villages were evacuated near a former military ammunition site. In the southern Korca district, near the Greek border, explosions of World War II-era artillery shells have been reported.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez shared his condolences following the death of a firefighting volunteer in the Castile and Leon region, which has seen widespread evacuations.

The Spanish government has heightened its national emergency response, extending more support to regional bodies managing evacuations and road closures.

Meanwhile, a forestry worker in Turkey died on Wednesday, responding to a wildfire. The Forestry Ministry reported the worker's death in a fire truck accident that left four others injured.

Turkey has been combating severe fires since late June, which have claimed 18 lives, including 10 rescue volunteers and forestry workers in July.

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