Wildfires force thousands to flee as blazes spread across Europe

Thousands of people have been forced to evacuate across Germany, France, Croatia and Greece as wildfires continue to rage across parts of western and southeastern Europe.

The blazes follow successive heatwaves this summer that have scorched approximately 500,000 hectares of land across the European Union.

In Croatia, strong winds drove a wildfire into the tourist town of Omis on Friday, enveloping settlements and forest areas. Local media reported that 14 people were hospitalised in the nearby city of Split, with seven in life-threatening condition.

“We have had an extremely difficult night, we have a complicated situation in the area from Lokva Rogoznica to Omis,” Chief Fire Commander Slavko Tucakovic told local news outlets.

Evacuations in Germany and France

In western Germany, authorities ordered about 1,800 people to evacuate after a wildfire spread towards the village of Gey, near the border with Belgium.

In southwestern France, 525 villagers fled a blaze in the pine woods of the Landes region, an area already hit by major fires this summer.

The fire has razed 1,100 hectares (2,700 acres) since starting on Thursday, reaching within 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) of the centre of Luglon village, regional official Gilles Clavreul told reporters.

“The situation is unfavourable,” Clavreul said, adding that 500 firefighters and six aircraft were tackling the flames.

Meanwhile, tourists and residents also fled villages in northern Greece’s Halkidiki region on Thursday after strong winds fanned a wildfire, engulfing houses and trees near a resort during the heart of the holiday season.

Scientists link the hot weather and severe drought driving the fires across Europe to climate change. Heatwaves have particularly affected France, Spain, Greece and the Balkans this summer.