Greek firefighters battled on Sunday to control a huge wildfire that has destroyed more than 100 homes northwest of Athens. The blaze is one of several burning across Europe as the continent endures a summer of record heat and drought.
Fire tears through communities northwest of Athens
The fire broke out near a hillside village about 45 miles northwest of Athens and spread quickly in hot, dry winds. Hundreds of residents were evacuated as flames approached their homes. Fire crews worked through the night with water-dropping planes and ground teams. Officials said the fire has consumed thousands of hectares of forest and farmland. At least 100 homes have been destroyed, and the number is expected to rise as teams reach damaged areas. Local officials described the scene as apocalyptic, with orange skies and smoke visible from the capital.
Helicopter collision adds to the toll
The crisis turned deadly when two firefighting helicopters collided over the Psatha area west of Athens. Both aircraft were Bell helicopters, each with a two-person crew. Officials confirmed two people died in the crash. The accident forced a temporary pause in aerial operations as investigators began looking into what went wrong. Ground crews continued fighting the flames while the air operation was halted.
A continent under heat pressure
Greece is not alone. Destructive wildfires in France and Spain are finally showing signs of easing, but drought is spreading. Hungary shut down its nuclear power plant because the Danube River dropped too low for cooling. Austria broke heat records, and Japan is bracing for Typhoon Dolphin. Scientists say the combination of extreme heat and dry conditions is making fire seasons longer and harder to fight across the region. Experts warn that such compound disasters, fires plus drought plus heat, are likely to become more common as the climate warms.