Deadly Wildfires Sweep Southern Europe

Two firefighters have died in Greece as crews across southern Europe continue to battle wildfires fuelled by extreme heat, drought and strong winds.

The deaths were reported on the island of Crete, as fires continued to threaten communities from France’s Atlantic coast to the eastern Mediterranean.

At the height of the emergency, about 330,000 people were forced to leave homes and holiday sites in France and Spain.

In southwest France, an uncontained wildfire four times the size of Paris remained a major threat on Wednesday.

Authorities in the Gironde region said the fire did not spread overnight as conditions temporarily eased.

However, temperatures were expected to reach 40 degrees celsius, with stronger winds raising fears that the fire could surge again.

Investigators believe routine brush-clearing work near a high-voltage power line may have started the fire, even though the work appeared to have followed regulations.

Firefighters were closely watching three main danger zones, including northern Cap-ferret, wooded areas near Marcheprime, Cestas and Saint-Jean-D’illac, and a military site near Martignas.

More than 2,200 firefighters and over 20 aircraft remained deployed, with support from crews across France and other European countries.