The Mediterranean region is grappling with devastating wildfires that have claimed over 40 lives and forced thousands to evacuate in Algeria, Italy, and Greece. The situation remains critical as the blazing fires continue to threaten villages and holiday resorts.
In Italy, wildfires wreaked havoc in Sicily, Puglia, and other southern regions. Tragically, a couple in their 70s perished in a fire-gutted holiday home near Palermo, and an 88-year-old woman also lost her life near the city. Calabria, on the mainland, faced a harrowing situation as a 98-year-old man was trapped in his home by the flames.
In Algeria, Adil El Selmy’s eco-friendly restaurant was razed to the ground by the advancing flames. Similarly, Greece’s tourism industry, vital for many islands, suffered significant setbacks with thousands evacuated, and travel cancellations from major holiday firms.
In Greece, the island of Rhodes has declared a state of emergency as fires rage on Corfu and Evia. Temperatures have soared to a scorching 44C (111F) in some parts of the country due to the ongoing long heatwave
Moreover, tragedy struck in southern Greece on Tuesday when a Greek air force water-dropping plane crashed into a wildfire, resulting in the loss of both pilots’ lives.
The pilots, aged 34 and 27, were killed in the crash as they valiantly battled the blazes that have been engulfing the country for days amidst a scorching heat wave.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis had to cancel his planned visit to Cyprus, and the nation’s armed forces declared three days of mourning in honor of the fallen heroes.
Mitsotakis praised the pilots for their selfless sacrifice, emphasizing the perilous nature of their daily missions to extinguish fires and vowing to continue the fight against the destructive forces of nature in their memory.
Thousands of tourists and residents flee as Greek wildfires spread
In Greece, thousands of residents and tourists are fleeing from three islands, Rhodes, Corfu, and Evia, as wildfires continue to spread due to high winds and scorching heat waves during the peak tourism season.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis cautioned that the country faces more challenging days ahead due to the soaring temperatures.
“We are at war against the fires,” Mitsotakis said.
Approximately 32,000 precautionary evacuations were carried out over the weekend. The wildfires have led to the largest evacuation in the nation’s history on Rhodes, while 2,000 people were ordered to evacuate from Corfu. According to an airport official’s statement to the AFP news agency, more than 5,000 people were able to return to their homes via more than 40 emergency flights conducted between Sunday and Tuesday.
Emergency shelters in schools, airports, and sports facilities are accommodating displaced tourists, with British tourists being repatriated by Jet2 airlines.
“The risk of fire will be extreme in several areas of Greece today,” Fire Service spokesperson Vassilis Vathrakogiannis warned Monday.
Mediterranean gripped by wildfires
Wildfires are spreading across nine Mediterranean countries, with Croatia, Italy, and Portugal among the hardest hit. The fires are fueled by scorching temperatures, dry conditions, and strong winds, making it challenging for thousands of firefighters in Europe and North Africa to contain them. In Algeria, at least 34 people lost their lives as the blazes raged across 15 provinces, leading to evacuations of more than 1,500 people
In Italy, storms and wildfires have resulted in seven fatalities. Greece also faces a severe wildfire situation, with more than 20,000 residents and tourists evacuated from the islands of Rhodes, Corfu, and Evia. The situation demands urgent attention as wildfires continue to wreak havoc across the region.
Algeria wildfires kill 34, blaze spreads to Tunisia
Algeria’s coastal province of Bejaia was severely affected, with 34 people, including ten soldiers, losing their lives during an evacuation. 97 fires blazed across 16 governorates on the country’s eastern coast. Though 80% of the fires have been extinguished, firefighting efforts are still ongoing, involving thousands of personnel, fire engines, and aircraft.
The devastating blazes have also spread to Tunisia’s border city of Tabarka, with urgent evacuation efforts underway to save lives and property.
Algerian meteorological services predict a record heatwave with temperatures reaching 48ºC in the coming days, exacerbating the fire situation. Both countries are grappling with the destructive consequences of wildfires, with significant areas of forest cover being lost due to fires and climate change. Authorities are undertaking evacuation and firefighting operations, but challenges persist due to blocked roads and limited resources.
McDonald’s workers in Italy declare strike due to no AC and 104-degree temperatures
McDonald’s workers in southern Italy staged a strike as temperatures soared to 104 degrees Fahrenheit, forcing them to work in sweltering conditions alongside hot kitchen equipment. Several workers fell ill due to the intense heat, and despite the use of portable air coolers, the broken AC systems were barely providing relief.
The strike involved 140 workers picketing the branches in the city of Bari. McDonald’s Italy decided to close one branch and operate only drive-in and delivery services in another during the extreme conditions.
The oppressive heatwave affecting Italy has raised concerns about the lack of air conditioning for restaurant and factory workers, with some locations experiencing temperatures as high as 118 degrees Fahrenheit.