The heatwave has fueled the spread of major wildfires across several European countries. The situation is particularly severe in France, Croatia, Germany, Greece and Spain, where firefighting crews are battling multiple blazes as thousands of people are forcibly evacuated from high-risk areas.
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In France, authorities have arrested 474 people since the beginning of July on suspicion of starting fires. The Interior Ministry said that 183 of those arrested are minors. Approximately 70% of the cases are believed to have been caused by deliberate arson, while the remainder resulted from accidental ignition.
A new blaze broke out in Luglon, in the Landes region, forcing the evacuation of more than 525 people on Friday. In less than 24 hours, the flames consumed around 1,100 hectares of pine forest.
Around 500 firefighters and six water-bombing aircraft have been deployed to bring the fire under control. At the same time, authorities have blocked roads leading to the area.
Croatia is also facing a worsening situation after a fire reached homes in a tourist area. As a result, one person was killed and 40 others were injured, while around 1,200 people were evacuated from the threatened area.
In Germany, the rapid spread of a forest fire near the village of Gey forced more than 2,000 residents to leave their homes. Firefighting operations have been hampered by unexploded munitions dating back to World War II.
In Greece, holidaymakers have been evacuated from beaches threatened by the flames. Meanwhile, the military has been deployed in Spain to protect and rescue historical relics.
