Southern Europe Battles Raging Wildfires as Portugal, Greece and Spain Face Days of Destruction

Southern Europe is once again under siege from fast‑moving wildfires, with hundreds of firefighters battling major blazes across Portugal and Greece on Sunday, while Spain and Italy rushed reinforcements to help contain a massive fire burning for more than three days in central Portugal.

In Vouzela, central Portugal, more than 1,200 firefighters, nearly 400 vehicles, and 15 aircraft have been deployed to fight a blaze that erupted on Thursday. By Sunday, the wildfire had scorched 12,000 hectares an area of 120 square kilometres according to satellite data from the EU’s Copernicus mapping agency. The European Union’s Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid service confirmed that Spain had sent 120 firefighters and 45 vehicles, while Italy and Spain dispatched additional water‑bombing aircraft.

Across the continent in Greece, authorities urged residents in parts of Thessaloniki to stay indoors and seal their windows as toxic smoke billowed from a recycling plant engulfed by flames. The fire, driven by strong winds, broke out Saturday evening near Oraiokastro, triggering evacuation alerts for three suburbs and a facility housing 157 people with special needs. Around 160 firefighters battled the blaze overnight until aircraft could resume operations at dawn.

Oraiokastro mayor Pandelis Tsakiris told state broadcaster ERT that several homes and businesses had been damaged, though a full assessment is still underway. A 76‑year‑old man was arrested on suspicion of starting the fire through negligence after sparks from his vehicle ignited roadside vegetation.

The blaze came just days after another wildfire in the region killed a 12‑year‑old boy and his father, deepening concerns about the country’s vulnerability. Fire department spokesman Brig. Ioannis Artopoios said 85% of wildfires in Greece are caused by negligence, including sparks from agricultural machinery, discarded cigarettes and outdoor barbecues. “This means most of them could have been avoided,” he said.

Greece’s hot, dry summers have long made it prone to devastating fires. In 2018, a blaze east of Athens killed more than 100 people, and in 2023, a massive wildfire in the northeast became the largest ever recorded in the European Union.

Southern Europe now braces for more dangerous days ahead as heat, wind and drought continue to fuel conditions ripe for catastrophe. The user should confirm this information with a trusted source.