AGIOS KONSTANTINOS: Firefighters across Europe and North America continued battling widespread wildfires on Sunday as prolonged heatwaves, drought and dry weather fuelled destructive blazes that scientists say have been intensified by climate change.
In Greece, two firefighting helicopters collided while responding to a major wildfire that has destroyed more than 100 homes northwest of Athens. Authorities said one crew member was rescued safely, while search operations continued for the second.
State broadcaster ERT reported that one helicopter burst into flames and crashed following what appeared to be a rotor collision.
At the same time, a new wildfire broke out on the popular tourist island of Kefalonia, prompting authorities to order evacuations.
Elsewhere in Europe, wildfires in France and Spain showed signs of easing over the weekend, although Greece continued to face fresh outbreaks after a brief period of relative calm.
Strong winds that had intensified a wildfire near Porto Germeno, about 60 kilometres northwest of Athens, weakened, but the flames spread across a mountain ridge, reaching the settlement of Veniza and a nearby military firing range, where unexploded ordnance caught fire.
Fire crews concentrated on preventing the blaze from advancing toward the coastal town of Megara, home to around 30,000 residents.
In France, officials reported that wildfires in the Gironde and Var regions had become less severe. Authorities said only limited flare-ups remained in Gironde, while the fire in Var did not spread overnight.
In the town of Monfort-sur-Argens in Var, resident Georges Blanc returned after evacuating and worked to extinguish lingering hot spots around his property while firefighters continued cooling operations in the surrounding area.
Spain also made progress in containing several major wildfires that had scorched tens of thousands of hectares over the past week, although emergency crews continued tackling isolated flare-ups.
In the western province of Cáceres, a forest fire that erupted on Saturday forced around 800 people to evacuate. Residents were allowed to return home on Sunday but were instructed to remain indoors as firefighters continued efforts to control the blaze.
Across the Atlantic, a rapidly spreading wildfire swept through the US city of Spokane on Saturday, forcing thousands of residents to evacuate as Washington state declared an emergency amid one of its most severe wildfire seasons on record.
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson declared a state of emergency, noting that the state is experiencing its fourth consecutive year of drought, with climate change creating conditions that increase the risk of large and destructive wildfires.
More than 200,000 acres (around 80,900 hectares) were burning across Washington as multiple fires continued to spread.
Videos recorded by residents driving through Spokane showed entire neighbourhoods consumed by flames, with homes either burning or reduced to ashes as powerful winds drove the fires through extremely hot and dry conditions.
