Raging wildfires have claimed at least two lives and injured four others as of Thursday, as flames devastate mountain forests and vegetation in several southern European countries amid an intense heat wave.
Two Italian firefighters lost their lives Wednesday afternoon during operations to extinguish a vegetation fire in Nova Siri, a municipality in the southern province of Matera, local authorities confirmed.
Giuseppe Lasalata and Antonio Martino, both 45, fell from a cliff and died while trying to save a family from their burning house surrounded by vegetation. "They behaved like heroes," Nova Siri's Mayor Antonello Mele told the press.
As an intense heat wave persists, wildfires have been breaking out on an almost daily basis in Italy, particularly in the south and on its islands. On Tuesday, a blaze near Rome disrupted rail connections between the Italian capital and the southern city of Naples. The urban temperatures in Rome are expected to top 38 degrees Celsius in the coming days.
A woman poses in front of Caryatid statues amid a heat wave. Smoke can be seen from a fire, during a hot, windy day at Acropolis Hill in Athens, July 16, 2024. /AP
In Greece, four firefighters were injured on Wednesday, according to the country's Fire Department. One of them, a volunteer from Sofiko, reportedly suffered a heart attack and was transported to a hospital in Attica. Three other firefighters sustained minor injuries and were taken to Corinth Hospital.
Firefighters have been called to handle dozens of wildfires in Greece every day since May 1. On Wednesday alone, 42 vegetation and forest fires were reported nationwide.
Also on Wednesday, a wildfire in North Macedonia caused a major border crossing between North Macedonia and Greece to close, according to the Ministry of the Interior of North Macedonia. The crossing was a major hub for tourists travelling between the two countries.
As several wildfires swept across North Macedonia, the government had to declare a crisis situation. The fires spread mainly in the central and eastern parts of the country, according to the state's Crisis Management Center, amid a grueling heat, July 17, 2024. /CFP
On Thursday morning, a devastating forest fire broke out in western Slovenia. By Thursday afternoon, the flames had raged on 150 hectares of land, though nearby villages are not yet endangered. Villagers were advised to keep their doors and windows shut due to heavy smoke.
Over 200 firemen and four helicopters have joined the firefighting operation, which is expected to continue for several days, head of the operation Simon Vendramin told Radio-Television Slovenia.
Slovenia is in its second week of extreme heat, with high temperature surpassing 37 degrees Celsius.
Wildfires are causing havoc in several other countries in the region as well, including Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Romania and Croatia.
Data from the Moldovan General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations showed that in the 24 hours between Monday and Tuesday alone, wildfires destroyed more than 120 hectares of forests and vegetation. It will take seven years and over 30,000 euros to restore the forest, the Moldovan Ministry of Environment said in a statement.
Authorities in Spain have also warned of mounting forest fire risks as a heat wave sweeps across the southern and the northeastern regions. The peak of the extreme heat is expected on Friday, with temperatures surging to 44 degrees Celsius, the State Meteorological Agency predicted.