Wildfires near Bordeaux and Madrid are weakening, but outbreaks continue to rage in Greece and western Spain after Europe suffered a series of record heat waves. Hundreds of thousands of people were forced to flee their homes because of the fires spreading in dry vegetation, writes "Reuters".
In southwestern France, authorities began to cancel evacuations after a large fire that had been raging for more than a week west of Bordeaux was declared under control. The orders were lifted in 12 regions, allowing 144,000 of the more than 220,000 displaced residents to return to their homes, Gironde prefect Sophie Brocas said.
Europe is the fastest-warming continent in the world. According to the latest scientific research, human-caused climate change has created the hot, dry conditions that make it easier for the fires to spread.
The average temperature in Europe on Friday was expected to reach 24.9°C, or 3.3°C above the 1961-1990 average, according to Reuters Climate Monitor data.
Smoke and ash from the fires have exposed millions of people to harmful air pollution. Of particular concern are PM2.5 particulate matter, which has been linked to cardiovascular disease, lung cancer and respiratory problems.
On the Greek island of Crete, firefighters continued to battle hot spots along a 15-kilometer front. The fire, which broke out on Wednesday, forced the evacuation of hundreds of locals and tourists, including by boat.
"We are fighting a huge battle to contain the fire and we hope to have it under control by the end of the day," said Giorgos Tsapakos, deputy regional director of the Crete Civil Protection. Strong winds with gusts of up to 115 km/h were expected to continue until Saturday evening.
According to the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, about 2,000 tourists have been evacuated from Crete. Homes, farmland, olive groves and livestock have been destroyed.
In Spain, a state of emergency in Avila and Madrid was lifted on Thursday. About 1,000 residents of seven complexes in the capital region were still unable to return to their homes.
In the province of Castellón, the fire near La Val d'Uixo remains active but has not spread for 48 hours. About 7,000 people remain displaced, while nearly 1,000 have already returned.
In Zamora, strong winds are making it difficult to put out a fire in the Arribes del Duero natural park near the Portuguese border. Fourteen villages have been evacuated and residents of two others have been told to stay home.