IN IMAGES, IN PICTURES – After France, Spain and Portugal, two other European countries are in the grip of the flames. California is also affected.
With rising temperatures and heat waves, fires are on the increase around the world. France, affected by fires in Gironde and Brittany in particular, as well as Spain and Portugal are not the only countries to suffer.
Europe
Greece, accustomed to this type of natural disaster, is also a victim this year. Tourists and residents were evacuated on Saturday July 23 from a seaside resort on the island of Lesbos. A forest fire destroyed houses in the village of Vatera. At least two were ravaged by flames, according to state television ERT.
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Firefighters deployed nine planes and a helicopter to tackle the blaze, which started in the morning and spread on two fronts, one towards the village of Vrisa and the other towards the interior of Vatera .
The mayor of Lesvos West, Taxiarchis Verros, ordered the evacuation of the busy seaside resort as a precaution, on the advice of firefighters, according to the Greek news agency ANA. He did not specify the number of people evacuated but several buses and small boats took part in the operation.
On Saturday, firefighters were also leading their third day of fighting a violent fire in Dadia National Park, in the Evros region, in northeastern Greece.
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A total of 320 firefighters and 68 devices have been deployed since Friday evening, as well as 13 ground teams, and a very large number of volunteer firefighters. Six water bomber helicopters and nine helicopters operate in the sky.
Last year, a heat wave and forest fires destroyed 103,000 hectares and killed three people in Greece.
Slovenia has also been affected since Tuesday. Hundreds of firefighters have been deployed in the west of the country to fight a fire that caused the evacuation of several villages, according to the emergency services.
Among the means deployed, Slovenia called in Serbian helicopters in the hope of eliminating the flames near the village of Temnica.
Foresters also cut down trees to prevent the fire from spreading.
The day before, Friday July 22, the fire was already threatening the surroundings of Temnica and Lipe.
United States
Like every year, the State of California is invaded by flames. A blaze called Oak Fire broke out Friday in Mariposa County, near Yosemite National Park.
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It is not under control at all and has already consumed more than 2,600 hectares, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection website on Saturday morning.
Also according to the site, ten buildings were destroyed and five damaged. Thousands more would also be at risk. Residents had to evacuate the area and roads were closed.
Oak Fire is considered “one of the biggest fires of the year”wrote the Los Angeles Times . Nearly 400 firefighters are fighting the flames, supported by several helicopters.
The American daily specifies that another fire, the Washburn Fire, was still burning Friday evening in Yosemite National Park. More than 2000 hectares have been destroyed there since its appearance on July 7.
The American West has already experienced forest fires of exceptional magnitude and intensity in recent years, with a very marked lengthening of the fire season.
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The proliferation of extreme weather events is a direct consequence of global warming, scientists say, with greenhouse gas emissions increasing in both intensity, duration and frequency.
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