Hundreds evacuated by sea as wildfires rage across Greece and Europe

A wildfire that broke out near the coastal town of Agios Vasileios in central Greece on Friday morning spread rapidly in strong winds, trapping around 500 people, according to local media. Most of those trapped were tourists. With roads cut off, rescuers began evacuating people by boat. More than 200 evacuees have already been taken to safety, and another 100 were waiting to be moved by sea, the Greek news agency Amna reported, citing fire officials. Emergency services were still trying to reach people remaining in the town. Earlier, residents and visitors had been told to move further inland, but the flames soon reached the town's outskirts.

A second fire broke out further along the coast, burning farmland before reaching the rural town of Xironomi. On the island of Crete, firefighters continued to battle hotspots from a major wildfire that has consumed thousands of hectares and forced about 8,000 people to temporarily leave their homes. New fires have also been reported on Paros, Andros and Kalymnos.

Greece is one of several European countries facing destructive wildfires after a succession of heatwaves created tinder-dry conditions. Fire crews in Portugal and Spain are still tackling large blazes, and a new heatwave this week has raised fears that a fire near Madrid could reignite.

Data from the EU shows that more than 200,000 hectares have burned in Spain this year — roughly five times the average for this point in the year — while the burned area in Portugal is also above normal. In northern Portugal, hundreds of firefighters have been battling a fire near Valpaços that has torn through 15,000 hectares, including vineyards and olive groves. According to the Lusa news agency, five people have been injured in the blaze, which has been burning since Tuesday.

A fire in Spain's Ávila province has now been stabilised and is described as the largest wildfire ever recorded in the country. Fires that burned 66,000 hectares west of Madrid are said to be contained. Officials warn that most of Spain faces a high risk of new or rekindling fires until at least Sunday.

Turkey has four active fires along its Mediterranean coast, including near Antalya, according to the country's agriculture ministry. It says 206 wildfires have broken out nationwide since Wednesday. Although most wildfires are started by human activity, climate change is increasing the likelihood of the extreme conditions that allow them to spread. A mild, wet winter encouraged vegetation growth, which has since dried out in successive hot spells, providing fuel for the blazes.