As a major wildfire on the island of Evia continues to spread, rescuers are racing to evacuate hundreds of people. "The only way for this fire to be extinguished is when there's nothing left to burn," a firefighter said.
Image: picture-alliance/Y. Karahalis
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Hundreds of people were evacuated from villages on the Greek island of Evia on Tuesday, as flames from a wildfire in a nature preserve moved closer to their homes.
Firefighters across Greece are working to contain several wildfires that have broken out since the weekend, with hot temperatures, dry weather and gale-force winds fanning the flames.
What we know so far:
About 500 people were evacuated from a monastery and the villages of Kontodespoti and Makrymalli.
More than 200 firefighters, seven helicopters and six water-dropping planes have been deployed to battle the fire in Evia, Greece's second-largest island.
Thick smoke from the fire blanketed the capital Athens, 110 kilometers (70 miles) away.
A second forest fire is burning on the northern island of Thassos, while firefighters are also battling a third blaze near Thebes.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis cut short a vacation to return to Athens due to the fires.
Dry conditions and winds have aided the spread of the firesImage: picture-alliance/N. Paleologos
'I feared for my life'
Panos Agiannitis, a volunteer firefighter at the scene of the major fire in Evia, told Athens municipal radio that the flames were so high that they blocked out the sun.
"I feared for my life ... you could feel the heat 250 meters away," he said, adding: "The only way for this fire to be extinguished is when there's nothing left to burn."
Hundreds of firefighters and several helicopters have been deployed to battle the hard-to-reach forest fireImage: picture-alliance/AP Photo/T. Stavrakis
Concerns over blaze: Authorities have warned about the high risk of fires this week, urging the public not to light campfires or barbecues. Greek officials are hoping to avoid another deadly catastrophe like the one that occurred last year. More than 100 people were killed last July when a fast-moving forest fire struck a seaside town near Athens, trapping people in their cars.
Russia has been struggling to put out gigantic forest fires in Siberia that environmentalists have dubbed an ecological catastrophe. Observers warn of a disaster that could accelerate the melting of the Arctic.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/TASS/Orenburg Region Branch of the Russian Emergencies Ministry
Huge environmental impact
The image shows an aerial view of the wildfires in Russia's Siberia. Massive forest fires are a common occurrence in the region, but the magnitude of this year's blazes has reached an exceptional level with fears of a long-term effect on the environment.
Image: Reuters
High temperatures
More than 3.2 million hectares (7.9 million acres) were on fire on Monday alone, mainly in the vast regions of Yakutia in the north and Krasnoyarsk and Irkutsk in Siberia, authorities said. The fires, triggered by dry thunderstorms in temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit), were spread by strong winds, Russia's federal forestry agency said.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/TASS/A. Ryumin
Slow to act
The picture shows a woman taking part in firefighting exercises for volunteers at the Mechta [Dream] forest summer camp outside Moscow. Russian authorities have been slow to declare emergencies and firefighting efforts have been scaled back over economic concerns. The lackluster response has prompted residents to post pleas for help and demands for action online.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/TASS/M. Tereshchenko
Accelerating global warming
The fires could exacerbate climate change, warn experts. Greenpeace says almost 12 million hectares have been burnt this year, causing significant CO2 emissions and reducing the future capacity of forest to absorb the carbon dioxide. Some scientists posted satellite images from NASA showing the clouds of smoke reaching Arctic areas.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/TASS/A. Ryumin
Smog engulfs cities
The smoke from the wildfires has affected not only small settlements, but also major cities in western Siberia and the Altai region as well as the Urals such as Chelyabinsk and Yekaterinburg, and disrupted air travel. The image shows how the smoke has enveloped the city of Kemerovo in southern Siberia.
