Portugal, Greece, Spain Battle Raging Wildfires As Firefighters Race To Contain Blazes
Portugal, Greece, Spain Battle Raging Wildfires As Firefighters Race To Contain Blazes Published By, Last Updated: July 05, 2026, 22:20 IST Portugal battles a massive
Portugal, Greece, Spain Battle Raging Wildfires As Firefighters Race To Contain Blazes Published By, Last Updated: July 05, 2026, 22:20 IST Portugal battles a massive wildfire with international support, while toxic smoke from a recycling plant fire prompts health warnings and evacuations in northern Greece. Rapid Read Firefighters work to prevent flames from advancing towards the village of Cercosa during a wildfire in Vouzela, Portugal Photo: REUTERS Wildfires continued to rage across parts of southern Europe on Sunday, with Portugal battling a massive blaze that has burned for more than three days, while authorities in Greece issued health warnings over toxic smoke from a wildfire that engulfed a recycling plant near the country’s second largest city. In central Portugal, more than 1,200 firefighters, supported by nearly 400 vehicles and 15 aircraft, were deployed to contain a wildfire in the Vouzela area that first broke out on Thursday.
According to the European Union’s Copernicus satellite mapping agency, the blaze has already scorched around 12,000 hectares of land. The scale of the fire has prompted international assistance. Spain sent 120 firefighters and 45 vehicles to Portugal, while Italy and Spain also deployed firefighting aircraft under the European Union’s Civil Protection Mechanism to help bring the blaze under control. Meanwhile, in northern Greece, residents in parts of Thessaloniki were advised to stay indoors and keep their windows and doors shut after thick, toxic smoke spread from a burning recycling plant on the outskirts of the city. The fire broke out on Saturday evening near the suburb of Oraiokastro and quickly spread due to strong winds, forcing authorities to issue evacuation alerts for three nearby suburbs and a facility housing 157 people with special needs.
Around 160 firefighters battled the flames overnight before water dropping aircraft joined operations at first light. Police arrested a 76 year old man on suspicion of accidentally sparking the blaze after his vehicle allegedly ignited roadside vegetation. He is expected to appear before prosecutors. The incident comes just days after another wildfire in the region claimed the lives of a 12 year old boy and his father. Greek fire officials say human negligence is responsible for nearly 85 per cent of wildfires in the country, with discarded cigarettes, agricultural machinery and outdoor barbecues among the leading causes. Greece experiences destructive wildfires almost every summer, with climate change making fire seasons longer and more intense. In response, the country is expanding its wildfire monitoring capabilities by integrating four newly launched low-orbit satellites to improve early detection and response.
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