Following a period of sustained heat, wildfires have erupted all around the world in recent days. Extreme weather caused by climate change has resulted in temperatures reaching 40 degrees Celsius. Even after many weeks, temperatures are still rising, landscapes are drying out, the threat of drought looms, and winds pick up speed, creating ideal circumstances for fires to take hold. After 174 years of temperature monitoring, June was also the hottest month on record, so it’s no surprise that experts have warned that 2023 could be the hottest year on record.
Here is a list of all the countries that have lately reported wildfires.
Greece
Over the weekend, around 20,000 people were evacuated from Rhodes Island as the fire, which is reported to be occupying 10-20% of the land, reached coastal resorts. Hundreds of firefighters attempted to put out the fire. A wildfire forced the evacuation of approximately 2,500 residents in Corfu. Another fire broke out on the Greek island of Evia, where two firefighting planes were killed while spraying water on the flames. A wildfire to the west of Athens has also been raging since July 17. Over a hundred homes and businesses have been damaged.
Italy
Due to the high temperatures, the country issued a red alert for 16 cities, including Palermo and Catania. Fires raged through the woods in Calabria, the country’s southernmost peninsula. The airport in Palermo, Sicily, was momentarily closed on Tuesday due to wildfires. Power and water supplies have also been disrupted. Temperatures reached 47 degrees Celsius in several regions on Sunday. Renato Schifani, regional president of Sicily, said he planned to seek the government to establish a state of emergency for the island. Storms have also taken hold in the country’s north. As a result of the harsh weather, at least seven individuals have perished.
Spain
On the island of La Palma, a wildfire broke out on July 15, evacuating 4,000 residents. After burning over 7,000 acres, including parts of the Caldera de Taburiente National Park, it was brought under control on July 19. On Tuesday, a swiftly expanding wildfire broke out on another island, Gran Canaria, forcing the evacuation of hundreds of towns. So far, it has consumed nearly 500 acres. Spain’s first four months of 2023 were also the driest on record.
Switzerland
On July 17, alpine settlements in the Valais canton near the Italian border were asked to evacuate after a fire broke out in Bitsch. Over 200 people departed. The situation was “stable,” however the fire was still out of control on July 22.
Turkey
On July 16, wildfires broke out in the country’s southeastern Hatay and Mersin provinces, as well as the northwest Canakkale region. On Tuesday, there were more reports of fires in Antalya’s southern province, with almost 300 acres burned, and the Kemer State Hospital evacuated as a precaution.
Portugal
On Tuesday, fires broke out in a mountainous location west of the capital of Lisbon, and more than 600 firefighters attempted to put them out with the help of local inhabitants as wind gusts reached 60kph. According to local authorities, no residences were reported damaged, and no severe casualties were reported. A fire was also reported near the popular holiday town of Cascais. According to Finland’s interior ministry, the government requested assistance from the EU’s civil protection mechanism on Tuesday. Following an unusually hot and dry April, almost 90% of the country is currently facing drought.
Croatia
On July 13, a blaze in Sibenik took hold, helped by strong southerly winds. Grebastica village, as well as cars and homes, were damaged. When wildfires broke out in the Adriatic city of Dubrovnik’s south, strong winds prevented firefighting aircraft from taking flight.
France
A big fire broke out on Tuesday between Cagnes-sur-Mer and Villeneuve-Loubet, near Nice international airport, and almost 100 firefighters attempted to put it out, while more than 300 firefighters battled fires near Arles.
Russia
On July 12, a wildfire broke out in the country’s Urals area, in the country’s center. A woman was killed, two people were hospitalized with burns, and 41 houses were destroyed in the settlement of Shaidurikha, near Yekaterinburg.
Syria
In the woods of Latakia, a province in northwestern Syria, wildfires erupted. According to the North Press Agency, firemen verified that the wildfire was “still uncontrolled” on Tuesday.
Algeria
On Monday, the fifth wildfire broke out in the districts of Skikda, Jijel, Bouira, Bejaia, Tebassa, Medea, Setif, and El Tarf, requiring the deployment of over 8,000 firemen. As of Tuesday, the flames have killed at least 34 individuals, ten of them were military. Authorities claimed they had brought about four-fifths of the area under control and had evacuated 1,500 people.
Tunisia
The fire expanded from Algeria to Tabarka in northwest Tunisia, where temperatures reached 49 degrees Celsius in several cities. Moez Tria stated that the residential complexes in the region and to stop the fire from reaching the airport. Fires have broken out in other regions of the country including Bizerte, Beja, and Siliana.
Canada
All year, record flames have burned in Canada, and over 3,400 international firefighters have joined Canadian ranks to fight the blazes. More than 24,000,000 acres have burnt thus far in 2023, and the fire is still burning. Every year, Canada has intense flames, but this year has been especially bad, with more fires burning than in any other fire season since 1990 – and they’re among the fastest-moving fires in the country’s history. The majority of the fires have occurred in Quebec, however, Alberta, British Columbia, the Northwest Territories, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Parks Canada, and Manitoba have also seen serious blazes, as have Yukon, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Nova Scotia.