Thousands of people were evacuated due to forest fires in France, Spain, Portugal, and Greece.
In France, a high alert regime has been declared in 22 departments, President Emmanuel Macron personally visited the crisis center. South of the city of Bordeaux, two large fires rage in pine forests, causing 14,000 people to be evacuated.
According to French meteorologists, the air temperature in the southern part of the country has risen to +41°C, and in the northwest – up to +35°C. Record temperatures are expected today, July 18.
The air temperature in Spain reached +45°С. In five days, 237 people died in the country from the heat. Residents of several cities have been evacuated, and birds – pigeons, swifts, and storks – fall dead on the asphalt. The fire is coming close to the cities.
In Greece, the island of Crete is suffering from fires, where fires are being fought in the hills around Rethymno on the northern coast.
In Portugal, forest fires are raging over 30,000 hectares. In particular, the outskirts of Lisbon were on fire, and one of the most popular natural parks, Arrábida, burned to the ground.