One Dead As Wildfires Rage In Southern Greece

At least one person has died after a wildfire tore through a town near Athens on Friday, destroying homes and farmland. Greek firefighters are fighting to bring multiple blazes under control as the country braces for several days of strong, gale-force winds. After months without significant rainfall, the area has been left dry, creating conditions for the flames to spread.

Winds of up to 80 kilometres per hour fanned the fire, engulfing houses, images from local media showed. In Keratea, Greece, firefighters discovered the body of an elderly man inside a burnt-out building. Witnesses described wind gusts so fierce that putting out some hotspots was nearly impossible. Officials say quick evacuations helped prevent even greater loss.

Strong winds are expected to continue through the weekend and into next week. On the tourist island of Kefalonia in western Greece, another wildfire is burning out of control, destroying forests and farmland. Greece, along with other Mediterranean nations, is part of what scientists call a “wildfire hotspot”, where blazes are a regular threat during the hot, dry summer months. In recent years, these fires have become more destructive due to the rapidly changing climate, prompting urgent calls for new strategies. Meanwhile, in southern France, severe drought has fuelled what authorities describe as the worst wildfire the region has faced in decades.