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| -Signs, Portents, and the Weather- |
| Europe burns in blowtorch heatwave: Thousands evacuated as 'catastrophic' wildfires ravage southern France, 'poisonous clouds' choke Greece and inferno rages on the Costa Brava |
| 2026-07-07 |
| [DM] Thousands of people were evacuated in southern France on Monday as 'catastrophic' wildfires ravaged the region, while poisonous clouds swept through Greece and Costa Brava in Spain was put on alert. It comes as temperatures across Europe are on the rise again, predicted to reach 40C in parts still suffering the aftermath of a recent record-breaking heatwave. Hundreds of firefighters are battling blazes that have devastated more than 19,000 hectares (42,000 acres) of land - an area more than twice the size of Manhattan - across Portugal, Spain, France and Greece. In southwestern France near the city of Perpignan, 700 firefighters backed by special aircraft battled to control a 'gigantic' blaze spreading in a hard-to-reach remote area, with more than 10,000 local residents evacuated. Fanned by wind, intense heat and exceptionally dry air, the fire has nearly tripled in size since early Sunday, devouring 4,600 hectares and leaving a firefighter and a resident injured, local authorities said. |
| Posted by:Skidmark |
| #2 |
| Posted by: Knuckles Grundy 2026-07-07 18:16 |
| #1 |
| Posted by: NN2N1 2026-07-07 07:51 |