Europe Ablaze: 'Wall of Fire' Triggers Mass Evacuation in Greece Amid Spreading Wildfires

A relentless summer heatwave has triggered a wave of devastating wildfires across Europe, forcing evacuations and straining emergency services in Greece, Croatia, France, and the United Kingdom. Hundreds of tourists were forced into the sea off northern Greece as a three-kilometre wall of flames, reaching up to 30 metres high, bore down on coastal resorts.

On Greece's Halkidiki peninsula, south of Thessaloniki, more than 200 firefighters, water-bombing planes, and helicopters battled for hours to contain a blaze threatening Siviri and Fourka, popular tourist destinations. Due to the danger of road evacuation, approximately 500 tourists were transported by small boats, coast guard vessels, and fire brigade craft, with about 200 taken to a ship offshore. Local residents described flames reaching houses, and two firefighters were hospitalized. Authorities banned public access to pine forests as forecasters warned of winds up to 100 km/h. While the fire was later brought under control, crews remained on alert for flare-ups. Greece remains under its highest wildfire alert nationwide, still recovering from a deadly blaze near Athens earlier this month that claimed the lives of two helicopter crew and destroyed 110 square kilometres of forest.

Croatia also faced significant challenges as a fire swept rapidly from a pine forest into the tourist town of Lokva Rogoznica, destroying homes and vehicles. Over 150 firefighters were deployed, and at least 1,000 displaced residents found shelter in a sports hall in nearby Omis. A coastal road closure caused extensive traffic queues. Croatia's fire chief, Slavko Tucakovic, described a