'Disaster movie' in Greece: Death and devastation as wildfires rage across the world

From Greece to California, the summer has seen wildfires rage in several places around the world, with lives lost and thousands evacuated.

In Europe, where some officials have blamed climate change for the large number of fires, blazes have burned in several countries, from Italy to Greece and Turkey.

Massive fires also have been burning across Siberia in northern Russia for weeks, forcing the evacuation on Saturday of a dozen villages. In all, wildfires have burned nearly 15 million acres this year in Russia.

‘Disaster movie’ in Greece

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Thousands of people have fled wildfires burning out of control in Greece, including near the capital, Athens.

In dramatic scenes, residents and holidaymakers alike had to be ferried out of the island of Evia, the country’s second-largest, as all other escapes were blocked.

Elini Myrivili, chief heat officer in Athens, likened the fires raging in Greece to a “disaster movie”. She welcomed the “wonderful” international support, as a team of British firefighters today arrived to help.

Hundreds of firefighters have been battling the blazes, fuelled by bone-dry conditions after the country’s worst heatwave in decades.

At least 20 people have been treated in hospital for fire-related injuries, including two firefighters who were in intensive care.

Turkey’s worst fires in a decade

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Fires in Turkey have killed at least eight people, including a volunteer who was carrying drinking water and other refreshments to firefighters in Marmaris.

The blazes have also killed countless animals, destroyed acres of forests near the country’s favourite tourist destinations, and forced thousands of evacuations.

They have been described as the worst in at least a decade.

The fires in the country’s southern and south-western coasts have been fuelled by a summer heatwave, low humidity and strong winds.

Two killed in Italy as Sicily declares state of emergency

In Italy, two people were killed in the southern Calabria region, a 53-year-old woman and her 34-year-old nephew. They were reportedly trying to save their olive trees.

546 interventi dei #vigilidelfuoco effettuati #oggi al Centro Sud: Sicilia, Calabria e Puglia le regioni più colpite, 11 #Canadair al lavoro in rinforzo alle squadre, di cui 9 in Calabria dove il forte vento ha reso complesse le operazioni di soccorso #6agosto 19:30 pic.twitter.com/LzsCsXatHu

Sicily has declared a state of emergency to last six months as fires burn through the island.

Biggest single California wildfire engulfs Greenville

Fuelled by strong winds and bone-dry vegetation, California’s Dixie Fire has grown to become the largest single wildfire in the state’s history.

The Gold Rush town of Greenville has been destroyed, with its estimated 800 residents told to evacuate before the blaze tore through the town.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

The Dixie Fire, named after the road where it started in Sacramento, covered an area of 700 square miles (1,813 square kilometres) on Saturday night, with just 21% of it contained contained, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

The fire has taken lives since it broke out on 13 July.

Read Entire Article