Forest Fires in Europe: Fatalities in Greece and a Major Fire in Belgium
On the Greek island of Salamis, near Athens, an elderly couple died as a result of two fires, and nearly 600 people were evacuated. On Monday, the fire department reported that the fires had largely been extinguished and there were no active hot spots, but more than 200 firefighters and two helicopters remained in the area.
The couple died near their home in the Peristeria beach area, according to the Greek Coast Guard. According to The Guardian World, a new wave of large-scale fires is sweeping across various parts of Europe amid a period of intense heat.
In Belgium, firefighters are battling a blaze in a hard-to-reach part of the Hautes Fagnes Nature Reserve near the border with Germany. The fire is considered the largest in the country’s modern history. It has been burning since Friday afternoon and, according to preliminary data, has engulfed more than 3,000 hectares. The flames have approached the German border, prompting the evacuation of part of the town of Monschau as a precautionary measure.
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As of Monday morning, light rain had slowed the fire’s spread eastward toward Germany. At the same time, according to local media reports, the fire continued to spread in a northeasterly direction. King Philippe of Belgium was scheduled to visit the affected area on Monday following the weekend, during which intensive firefighting efforts continued there.
In Spain, a soldier died while helping to extinguish a major wildfire in Aragon. The fire in this northeastern region has been burning for a week and threatened a monastery that is nearly a thousand years old; French reinforcements were set to join the effort to fight it.
In Portugal, hundreds of firefighters battled several fires. Near the village of Dine, close to the Spanish border, five firefighters were injured after their vehicle caught fire, local media reported. Other fires were reported near the border with Spain, specifically in Boticas and Chaves.
