Wildfires Force Thousands to Flee as Flames Spread Across Europe

Thousands of residents and tourists have been evacuated as wildfires continue to spread across Germany, France, Croatia and Greece amid extreme heat and drought conditions.

In Croatia, strong winds drove a wildfire into the tourist town of Omis on Friday, affecting residential areas and forests.

Fourteen people were reportedly hospitalised in nearby Split, with seven said to be in critical condition.

In western Germany, about 1,800 people were ordered to leave their homes after a wildfire moved towards Gey village near the Belgian border.

In France, 525 residents were evacuated as a major blaze burned through pine forests in the Landes region.

The French fire has destroyed about 1,100 hectares of land since Thursday and approached within two kilometres of Luglon village.

Hundreds of firefighters and several aircraft have been deployed to contain the flames.

Greece has also been affected, with wildfires forcing residents and holidaymakers to evacuate parts of the Halkidiki region after strong winds intensified the flames.

Authorities across the affected countries have urged residents to follow evacuation orders and remain alert, as changing weather conditions and strong winds could cause the fires to spread rapidly.

The widespread fires come after successive heatwaves across Europe this summer, with about 500,000 hectares of land reportedly affected by wildfires across the European Union.

Scientists have warned that climate change is contributing to hotter temperatures and prolonged drought, increasing the likelihood of more frequent and severe wildfires across the continent.

Emergency services remain on high alert as firefighters continue efforts to bring the latest outbreaks under control.

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