Greece: wildfires threaten large city, European heatwave
Fast-moving wildfires have reached the outskirts of Patras, Greece’s third-largest city, forcing mass evacuations, including a children’s hospital, and destroying thousands of hectares in the surrounding region. Entire villages have been emptied, homes…
Canada / USA: air quality alerts due to widespread wildfires
Air quality alerts have been issued across Canada and northern USA as smoke from widespread wildfires continues to degrade air conditions, prompting urgent health warnings. Environment Canada has warned residents, especially in Ontario…
Europe: severe heatwave, record temperatures, wildfires
A severe early-summer heatwave is scorching much of Europe, triggering wildfires, evacuations, and health alerts across multiple countries. In Turkey, over 50,000 people have been evacuated due to wildfires, especially near Izmir. France…
Greece: five wildfires break out on Chios
A state of emergency has been declared on the Greek island of Chios as five separate wildfires, fanned by strong winds, are ravaging homes, farms, and infrastructure. The fires broke out within hours…
Climate change: government plans are ‘dangerously inadequate’
A scathing new report from the Climate Change Committee (CCC) warns that government efforts to protect people and infrastructure from the impacts of climate change are dangerously inadequate. The report found that of…
Los Angeles: winds lighten, but fires still burning
Winds in Los Angeles, which have exacerbated wildfires, were expected to intensify again on 15 January, but in fact weakened to much lighter gusts. At least 25 people have been killed and more…
Los Angeles: devastating wildfires
Wildfires ravaging Los Angeles have reached the Hollywood Hills, forcing over 100,000 people to evacuate. Six different fires, fuelled by dry hurricane-force winds, have killed at least five people, burned thousands of acres,…
Portugal: firefighters die battling wildfires
To date, seven Portuguese firefighters have died while battling over fifty wildfires ravaging the country’s central and northern regions. Portugal has mobilised around 5,300 firefighters and has also called for EU help. The…
Greece: wildfires cause widespread damage and evacuations
Although wildfires around Athens have now been brought under control, Greek officials remain on high alert due to the risk of flare-ups caused by high winds and temperatures exceeding 30°C (86°F). Over 100,000…
Chile: hundreds missing as wildfires rage
Wildfires have been ravaging Chile's Valparaíso region, leaving hundreds missing and over 120 dead. President Gabriel Boric has described them as the worst disaster since the 2010 earthquake. The fires erupted during a…
