As temperatures rise again across Europe, massive wildfires are ravaging forests

On Saturday, hundreds of firefighters across southern Europe battled forest fires that forced thousands of people to flee their homes, whilst the authorities banned spectators from watching one of the stages of the “Tour de France” cycle race as temperatures rose again in the region, which is in the grip of a heatwave.

The fires have ravaged more than 19,000 hectares of land in Portugal, Spain, France and Greece, whilst temperatures are forecast to reach 40 °C in some places.

Around 5,000 people were evacuated from their homes near the town of Perpignan in south-western France, whilst firefighters attempted to bring under control a blaze that had already ravaged 1,650 hectares, the regional prefect, Pierre Regnault de la Mothe, told journalists.

“At around 10.30 pm, we started to see smoke that was getting closer and closer. At around 1.00 am, someone from the local council knocked on our door and told us to leave,“ – said 30-year-old Charlotte Pignol, who was evacuated from her home in the area that night. – “There were fire engines everywhere, and the smoke was suffocating.”

The fires broke out shortly after the June heatwave – one of the most severe in Europe, during which thousands of excess deaths were recorded and which, according to the research group “World Weather Attribution”, would have been “practically impossible” without climate change.

As temperatures are set to rise again in the coming days, the authorities have expressed concern that the annual summer forest fire season has begun a month early.

“Climate change is already here; we are experiencing its consequences, and it is only the beginning of July,” – said Colonel Eric Belgioino of the French fire service, addressing people living near the ‘Hell of the Pyrenees’ and urging them to take precautions to prevent fires.

“It’s going to be a long season for the firefighters. You must help us,” said E. Belgioino.

“Tour de France”

Officials in France have announced that the third stage of the “Tour de France” of the Tour de France, due to take place on Monday, will be held without the spectators who usually line the routes of this legendary race.

This stage, during which the cyclists will ride from Spain into France and continue through French territory, “will be reserved solely for the passage of the cyclists and the vehicles essential to the organisation of the race,” the regional prefect, P. de la Mothe, told journalists.

“Residents are asked not to approach the route or the finish area,” added the regional prefect. - “In other words, and I’m sorry to have to say this, but at least in France this stage of the ‘Tour de France’ will take place without spectators.”

A toxic cloud of smoke

In Greece, flames from a forest fire ravaged two factories in Thessaloniki, prompting the authorities to evacuate the surrounding areas and warn residents to keep their windows closed.

A fire near the north-eastern Spanish “Costa Brava” coast in Spain has burnt more than 2,200 hectares in two days, with firefighters stating that their efforts will be “hampered” by rising temperatures and numerous “smoke hotspots” around the perimeter of the blaze.

A further 300 French firefighters were battling another blaze in the mountainous south-eastern Drôme department.

In Portugal, the emergency services reported that they had managed to bring “80 per cent” of a forest fire that had ravaged around 13,000 hectares of woodland and scrubland in the north of the country.

Major fires have also destroyed hundreds of hectares of woodland, vineyards and scrubland on the Croatian island of Hvar and in Talë, Albania, according to the authorities.

Regions in Portugal, Spain and southern France have stepped up their heatwave warnings for the coming days.

On Monday, the latest heatwave was expected to move northwards, with forecasters saying it could last until next weekend.

Following a two-week heatwave in June, France reported that more than 2,000 extra deaths had been recorded in just one week compared with usual levels, whilst Spain and Belgium reported more than 1,000 deaths.