France allows 84,000 evacuees to return as wildfires stabilize in southwest: three Greek firefighters die battling blazes
Story Timeline
22 days · 14 summary articles
French authorities on Thursday gave the go-ahead for 84,000 evacuees forced out by a massive wildfire in the country’s southwest to return to their homes. More than 220,000 people were forced to flee their homes or holiday accommodation since the blaze broke out.
The wildfire in southwest France is currently stable, according to regional authorities. However, the next 12 hours will be decisive for ending the fire in the Madrid region, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said.
In Greece, three firefighters died battling forest blazes on Wednesday as several other fires broke out around the country, fed by gale-force winds. The fires on Crete are particularly severe, with over 220 firefighters battling the blaze. The funerals of the two firefighters who lost their lives yesterday are taking place on Thursday.
The situation in Greece is critical, with fires continuing to flare up in Plomari, Lesbos, and other areas. Dozens of rural and forest fires broke out in Greece within 24 hours, with gale-force winds making firefighting operations difficult.
In France, the Gironde region is the biggest remaining wildfire battle, with over 2,200 firefighters and more than 20 aircraft mobilized. The fire forced 220,000 people to flee at the peak of the crisis. Tens of thousands have since been allowed home, but authorities warned that the danger had not passed.
The advance of major fires in the Landes and Var regions has been halted, according to Interior Minister Laurent Nunez. However, extreme heat and strong winds threaten to reignite the fires.
In Spain, the situation in the Madrid region is stabilizing, but the next 12 hours are crucial, according to Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. The fires in the Madrid region have been contained, but the risk of new fires remains high due to the ongoing heatwave.
The wildfires in Europe are being fueled by extreme heat, drought, and strong winds, which have turned grasses, brush, and forest litter into faster-burning fuel. The landscape is so combustible that investigators believe routine brush-clearing work near a high-voltage line may have sparked the inferno in France.
In Greece, the fire in southern Rethymno is out of control, with over 220 firefighters on the ground. The blaze triggered evacuations of villages and tourist areas and caused damage to homes, crops, and livestock facilities.
The operation in Crete involves 224 firefighters, 11 specialized forest firefighting units on foot, and 53 fire engines, along with volunteers. Reinforcements arrived in Crete by ferry from mainland Greece on Thursday morning.
In France, residents and volunteers are also helping to fight the fires. At Souge, volunteers flooded the edges of dirt tracks while a local digger driver plowed through still-burning soil. In Lacanau, residents pumped water from a lake into tanks headed for hot spots and firefighters' cisterns.
The wildfires in Europe have forced thousands of people to flee their homes and holiday accommodations, causing extensive damage and straining firefighting resources. The situation remains critical, with authorities and firefighters working around the clock to control the blazes.
Follow us for live European news
- 3
- 3
- 2
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
8 further sources not geolocated
Articles
Cooler weather and potential rain move into the French region torched by wildfires Higher humidity, cooler temperatures, and rain are raising hopes of relief for southwestern France
abcnews · 14 days ago
France Battles Worst Wildfire on Record as Flames and Heat Sweep Southern Europe
gdeltproject.org · 14 days ago
3 Firefighters Die as Southern Europe Burns; France Fights Huge Blaze
gdeltproject.org · 14 days ago
Europe turns to goats to prevent wildfires
gdeltproject.org · 14 days ago
Wildfires are more extreme in Europe and North America, but global burning is oddly decreasing
gdeltproject.org · 14 days ago
Southern Europe burns as 3 firefighters die and France battles blaze 4 times the size of Paris
gdeltproject.org · 14 days ago
Dramatic sea rescue as firefighters die on the Greek island of Crete The Greek Coast Guard is rescuing people trapped by rapidly spreading wildfires on the island of Crete.
aljazeera · 14 days ago
As Wildfires Plague Europe, Scotland Races to Save a Cherished National Park As Europes climate warms, even moorlands and forests in the Cairngorms, in the Scottish Highlands, have fallen victim to rapidly spreading flames.
new york times · 14 days ago
As wildfires menaced the outer suburbs of Bordeaux and Madrid this week, Europe once again faced an uncomfortable reality: A rapidly warming planet threatens to make parts of the continent uninsurable.
bluesky_Politico Europe · 14 days ago
Firefighters in France and Spain are struggling to find enough airplanes to pour water on devastating wildfires. Preventing future blazes might depend on finding enough goats.
bluesky_Politico Europe · 14 days ago
Live: Fontainebleau fire contained, but southern Europe on high alert as wildfires rage An uncontained wildfire four times the size of Paris threatened to surge again in southwest France on Wednesday, as three firefighters died in Greece and crews across southern Europe confronted a punishing mix of heat, drought and strong winds. In the forest of Fontainebleau, south of Paris, firefighters were able to gain the upper ground and contain Wednesdays flare-up. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates. 👉 Read more:
telegram_France 24 · 14 days ago
Wildfires in Greece: blaze out of control in Rethymno, Crete Over 220 firefighters are battling a blaze in southern Crete, whilst strong winds are hampering aerial water drops. The funerals of the two firefighters who lost their lives yesterday are taking place on Thursday. In Plomari, Lesbos, the fires are continuing to flare up.
euronews · 14 days ago
Fires in Europe live: France gives green light for 84,000 evacuees to return home French authorities on Thursday gave the go-ahead for 84,000 evacuees forced out by a massive wildfire in the countrys southwest to return to their homes. More than 220,000 people were forced to flee their homes or holiday accommodation since the blaze broke out. Follow our liveblog for all the latest updates.
france24 · 14 days ago
Última hora de los incendios en España: Los avances contra el fuego en Zamora permiten contener su expansión pero preocupa el viento Tras una semana en situación de emergencia nacional, los incendios de Madrid y Ávila se dieron por estabilizados este miércoles, lo que ha permitido el regreso de miles de personas a sus casas y el desconfinamiento de otras tantas. Sin embargo, la ola de calor ha situado a España en horas complicadas respecto al riesgo de incendios y es lo que está sucediendo en Castilla y León. Durante la tarde de ayer se declararon sendos fuegos en las provincias de León y Zamora, donde se han evacuado veinte municipios con cientos de personas fuera de sus casas. En ambos casos están considerados de riesgo alto sunque el fuego de Zamora ha mejorado durante la pasada noche. Se ha conseguido estabilizar los frentes norte y este, que eran los que más preocupaban, sin embargo, todavía hay numerosos puntos calientes y zonas muy complicadas. No se ha logrado tampoco dar por estabilizado el incendio en la Vall dUixó que, aunque empezó con la vuelta de una parte de los vecinos que fueron desalojados, todavía se mantuvo durante el día de ayer la vigilancia por los rebrotes de los focos. No ha avanzado y se esperan horas críticas para su control.
eldiario.es · 14 days ago
Wildfires near Bordeaux bring more troubles to Frances wine industry Wildfires near Bordeaux are hurting the wine regions economy
abcnews · 14 days ago
Two arrested on suspicion of arson as firefighters battle blazes near Bordeaux reut.rs/44WhuEs
bluesky_Reuters · 14 days ago
Greek firefighters battle deadly wildfires on Crete for a second day reut.rs/4wuWj8x
bluesky_Reuters · 14 days ago
![Three firefighters killed as Greece battles deadly wildfires The dangers facing firefighters on Europes wildfire frontline were laid bare on Wednesday July 29 after three Greek firefighters lost […]](https://euroweeklynews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/wildfire-crete-1024x512.png?type=local)
Three firefighters killed as Greece battles deadly wildfires The dangers facing firefighters on Europes wildfire frontline were laid bare on Wednesday July 29 after three Greek firefighters lost […]
euroweeklynews · 14 days ago
EN DIRECT - Incendies : en Gironde, 84 000 personnes autorisées à rentrer chez elles Le mégafeu qui a ravagé 42 000 hectares en Gironde est «toujours stabilisé» ce jeudi matin après «une nuit plutôt calme», a déclaré la préfecture, disant sattendre à une météo «plutôt favorable» avec la levée de la vigilance orange canicule et même quelques averses.
liberation · 14 days ago
France Is Using 12 Aging Planes to Fight Its Wildfires The water bombers, grounded often for maintenance, are prompting a debate over the countrys readiness ahead of the blazes.
wsj · 14 days ago
#Wildfires #Europe #ClimateCrisis #ClimateEmergency
mastodon bot · 14 days ago
Three Greek firefighters killed as wildfires strike further east in Europe, arson arrests in Bordeaux fire Three Greek firefighters died battling blazes during high winds on the island of Crete and the mainland as wildfires spread across Europe on Wednesday after days of devastating fires in Spain and France. Two firefighters became trapped in the Crete blaze near the village of Krya Vrysi while they were driving between fire fronts. Another […]
cyprus mail · 14 days ago
EN DIRECT, incendies : les pompiers en Gironde se disent « raisonnablement optimistes » ; les habitants de neuf communes autorisés à rentrer chez eux Lincendie qui a ravagé 42 000 hectares en Gironde est toujours stabilisé jeudi matin, après une nuit « très calme ». Avec « 80 de taux dhumidité dans lair ce matin », les conditions météorologiques rendent « la situation beaucoup plus acceptable », selon les pompiers. Quelque 84 000 habitants vont pouvoir rentrer chez eux, et lA63 va rouvrir à partir de 14 heures.
le monde · 14 days ago
Live: Almost no flames left in wildfire near Madrid as southern Europe remains on high alert There are almost no flames left in the wildfire smouldering near Madrid, Spanish authorities said Thursday, adding that the area affected by the fire had not grown for several days. Southern Europe remains on high alert after three firefighters died in Greece and French authorities continue to face a punishing mix of heat, drought and strong winds. Follow our liveblog for all the latest updates.
france24 · 14 days ago
Close to half a million hectares reduced to ash as wildfires rage across Europe
bluesky_Euractiv · 14 days ago
Major incident declared in Suffolk as 90 firefighters tackle wildfire on heathland
bluesky_The Guardian · 14 days ago
DIRECT - Incendies en Europe: Les feux en Gironde et à Madrid sont stabilisés, 8 000 personnes évacuées en Crète Les dernières informations concernant les incendies dévastateurs qui touchent la France et lEspagne. ...
la libre · 14 days ago
How an AFP beach snap became emblem of Europes wildfire summer AFP photo editor Maximilien Lamy was on holiday with his partner and daughter last week when he took a series of snapshots of vacationers in fire-struck southwest France…
japantoday · 14 days ago
George Clooney and wife Amal are forced to evacuate their home ahead of raging wildfires in France Clooney, 65, revealed he and his wife Amal, 48, were evacuating with their nine-year-old twins in a letter to the mayor of Brignoles, where they live.
dailymail · 14 days ago
Longinos offers condolences after three Greek firefighters die battling wildfires Fire brigade chief Nikos Longinos on Thursday offered his condolences to his Greek counterpart Theodoros Vagias after three Greek firefighters died while battling wildfires on the island of Crete. According to fire brigade spokesman Andreas Kettis, Longinos expressed, on behalf of the Republic of Cyprus, the Cypriot fire brigade, and himself personally, our sincere and […]
cyprus mail · 14 days ago