Wildfires sweep southern Europe, forcing evacuations from France to Greece
Multiple cities, 5 July 2026
AI-generated image (z-image via Kie.ai)
Summary
Hundreds of firefighters battled major wildfires across southern Europe over the weekend, with blazes in France, Spain, Portugal and Greece destroying tens of thousands of hectares, injuring residents and forcing thousands of evacuations. Authorities warned that a new heatwave could make the coming days even more difficult for emergency services.
Multiple cities, 5 July 2026
Hundreds of firefighters backed by aircraft battled major wildfires across southern Europe over the weekend, with blazes in France, Spain, Portugal and Greece destroying tens of thousands of hectares of vegetation, injuring several people and forcing thousands of residents and holidaymakers to flee their homes.
Pyrenees fire forces mass evacuations
Forest fires kept fire brigades busy in several southern European countries over the weekend, stretching emergency services from the Pyrenees to the outskirts of Thessaloniki. Hot temperatures, drought and strong winds combined to drive flames through forests, industrial sites and tourist areas in France, Spain, Portugal and Greece.
In the French Pyrenees, emergency services fought the flames on an area of nearly 1,000 hectares on Sunday. More than 580 firefighters supported by firefighting aircraft were deployed to fight the fire about 35 kilometers west of the city of Perpignan.
The fire in the French Pyrenees broke out on Saturday evening in a hard-to-access mountain area in Trévillach, near the Spanish border. The prefecture of the Pyrénées-Orientales department announced on Sunday evening that around 5,000 people would be brought to safety from villages in a mountain range west of Perpignan.
A fire in the Pyrenees in southern France injured two people seriously. Two firefighters were also slightly injured while battling the flames, according to authorities.
Campsite blaze drives thousands from southern France
Another forest fire covering about 300 hectares was reported on Sunday from an uninhabited area in southeastern France. The situation in southern France was particularly tense on Sunday, and there were still forest fires burning in the region.
A new fire broke out near a campsite in Sainte-Marie-la-Mer, located south of Narbonne in southern France. Nearly 3,000 people were evacuated in Sainte-Marie-la-Mer after a new fire broke out, according to the fire department statement on Thursday evening. Approximately half of those evacuated were rescued from campsites where dozens of mobile homes and 26 bungalows were destroyed by the flames. 151 patients housed in a long-term care facility had to be transferred to hospitals.
Near the Spanish tourist region of Costa Brava, firefighters brought a forest fire largely under control that had so far devastated more than 2,200 hectares of vegetation in a nature reserve. The fire in Spain broke out Friday morning near the municipality of La Bisbal d'Empordà in the northeastern region of Catalonia.
By Saturday morning the flames near the Costa Brava had destroyed about 2,200 hectares of vegetation, according to the Catalan fire service. About 400 firefighters and ten firefighting aircraft were deployed against the Costa Brava fire.
Costa Brava blaze largely contained after days of effort
Spanish emergency services fought 'non-stop through the whole night' to contain the Costa Brava fire. Spanish firefighters partially brought the forest fire near the Costa Brava region under control on 4 July. The Spanish fire brigade expected a 'difficult day' on Sunday, particularly in light of a new heat wave hitting the country. Drought and strong wind were fanning the fires.
In northern Portugal, around 1,200 firefighters fought a forest fire that had destroyed at least 13,000 hectares of vegetation since Thursday. A forest fire has been raging in Portugal since Wednesday, and the fire in northern Portugal has already devastated an estimated 10,000 hectares.
About 1,000 firefighters, supported by 380 vehicles and eight aircraft or helicopters, were deployed on Saturday to fight the Portuguese fire. A heat warning was in effect for six regions in central and southern Portugal for temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius, and a heat warning was issued for six Portuguese regions for temperatures exceeding 40 degrees.
Portugal's massive fire stabilises after international help
At least nine people were injured in the Portuguese fire. On Sunday, the situation in northern Portugal was largely under control, according to a civil protection spokesperson. The Portuguese authorities decided on Friday to activate the European civil protection mechanism and bilateral agreements with Spain and Morocco to obtain reinforcements. Spanish soldiers were deployed on Saturday to support firefighting operations in Portugal.
In northern Greece, a fierce fire burned in an industrial area near the tourist-popular city of Thessaloniki. Strong fires broke out near Thessaloniki at a recycling facility and a textile factory. The fire near Thessaloniki completely destroyed two factories.
Dense smoke from the recycling facility engulfed large parts of Thessaloniki and its metropolitan area of more than 700,000 inhabitants. Footage from broadcaster ERT showed thick smoke rising from the recycling plant and enveloping large parts of Thessaloniki, and a smell of burnt plastic was reported across the city. On Sunday, more than 150 firefighters with 52 vehicles, two firefighting aircraft, and two helicopters were deployed to fight the fire near Thessaloniki.
Thessaloniki blazes destroy factories and claim two lives
Two people died in a forest and bush fire about 20 kilometers northeast of the Greek port city of Thessaloniki. The flames approached residential houses in the Thessaloniki suburb of Oreokastro, and authorities ordered evacuations. The prefecture instructed the mayors of neighboring municipalities to gather residents of scattered houses at the town hall so they could be protected in an emergency, and emergency shelters were set up. Residents of Lete were called on by warning SMS on Wednesday to evacuate the town, where the fire spread from low vegetation to a pine forest and houses in the town of 4,000 inhabitants.
An elderly man, regarded as the suspected person responsible for the fire near Thessaloniki, was presented to an investigating judge on Sunday according to judicial sources. Greek authorities urged residents to keep windows closed because the smoke could be toxic.
According to the Greek fire service, a total of 60 fires broke out nationwide within 24 hours over the weekend. Several tourist-popular Greek regions, including greater Athens and the island of Crete, were under the second-highest warning level for 'very high' forest fire danger on Sunday due to high temperatures and strong winds.
Greece braces for further very high fire risk
A 'very high' fire risk was also forecast for Monday for large parts of Crete and islands near the Turkish coast such as Chios and Samos. Greek civil protection stated that the forest fire risk in Greece is currently limited because the country was not exposed to the heatwave that hit Austria and other areas.
Fires also occurred in Portugal and Spain over the weekend, and two forest fires have since been largely brought under control. Numerous people had to leave their homes due to the fires, and firefighters expected a 'difficult day' mainly because of a new heatwave.
According to the European Forest Fire Information System, forest fires in Spain destroyed almost 400,000 hectares of vegetation last year, killing eight people. The fire in the Pyrenees affects the third stage of the Tour de France planned for Monday, with Mayor Edmond Jorda telling AFP that the fire spread extremely quickly driven by strong wind and that 'Es brennt noch immer.'
Questions & Answers
Which countries were hit by wildfires over the weekend?
France, Spain, Portugal and Greece all battled major blazes, with the most intense activity in the French Pyrenees, near Spain's Costa Brava, in northern Portugal and around the Greek city of Thessaloniki.
How many people were evacuated or injured in the fires?
Around 5,000 people were to be brought to safety in the French Pyrenees, nearly 3,000 were evacuated near a campsite in Sainte-Marie-la-Mer in southern France, two people died near Thessaloniki, and at least nine people were injured in the Portuguese fire.
Why are fire services expecting more difficult days ahead?
Authorities in Spain and Greece warned of a new heatwave and continued very high fire risk, with strong winds and drought fanning flames across the region.
Southern Europe wildfires: evacuations in France, Greece | allfacts360
