fires, heat wave… Europe on high alert

Using a simple bucket of water, a woman tries to stop a new outbreak of fire. In Portugal, the wall of flames is progressing inexorably towards homes. Planes try to delay the fire monster. Two people have already been killed, including a water bomber pilot, and 30,000 hectares have gone up in smoke. In Spain, the situation is catastrophic, with extreme temperatures, up to 45°C in the shade. Firefighters feel helpless. “It’s bad, very bad“, says one of them. Several thousand inhabitants were evacuated.

In Greece, fire outbreaks have been increasing for several days, fanned by strong winds. A helicopter, which was fighting the fires, crashed into the sea, killing two people. Northern Europe is not spared, with 40°C announced in London (United Kingdom), unheard of. The red alert has been triggered. The heat wave is expected on Sunday July 17. As the infrastructure is not adapted to high temperatures, the authorities fear for the elderly.