Europe Faces Rising Wildfire Threat: France and Greece on High Alert

As extreme heat intensifies, France and Greece are experiencing a surge in wildfire risk. In France, particularly in the southeastern regions, ongoing wildfires continue to be a challenge, with 7 departments placed on high alert. The French meteorological agency, Meteo-France, announced that the departments of Pyrenees-Orientales and Herault are among those under high alert.The wildfire in Trevillach, Pyrenees-Orientales, has damaged 4,600 hectares of land, with over 10,000 people evacuated from 26 affected towns. Five people, including a firefighter, were injured in the blaze.French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez is set to visit Pyrenees-Orientales, the site of this season's largest wildfires. Nunez stated that over 11,000 hectares have been burned, exceeding the 5,700 hectares reported during the same period last year.In Greece, the islands of Crete, Chios, Samos, and Achaea are under the second-highest risk alert, with a high risk of wildfires. The risk of wildfires is also elevated in the Attica region, which includes the capital Athens, as well as parts of the Peloponnese, Evia, Lesbos, and northern Kilkis.