At least one person in Greece has died after wildfires consumed nearly 16,000 acres of land amid a surge of fires across Europe.
In the Keratea region, just south of Athens, an elderly man unfortunately lost his life in a fire that erupted on Friday. Firefighters discovered his remains on a bed inside a hut.
As fires continue to cause destruction in the country for the third consecutive day, the National Observatory in Athens reported that the strong winds fueling the flames will continue until at least Monday.
Meanwhile, in Italy, Italian firefighters were busy battling a wildfire on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius on Sunday, leading to the closure of all hiking routes up the volcano near Naples to tourists.
The national fire service mentioned that it had 12 teams working on the ground and six Canadair planes combating the fire, which has been raging through the national park in southern Italy since Friday.
Additional firefighters were en route from other areas, and teams on-site were utilizing drones to effectively monitor the fire’s progression, the service announced on Telegram.
The park announced on Saturday, ‘For safety reasons and to aid firefighting and cleanup efforts, all activities along the Vesuvius National Park trail network are suspended until further notice.’
Nearly 620,000 people visited the volcano’s crater in 2024, according to the park.
Flames and smoke rise from burning trees while firefighters continue their efforts to extinguish the fire that broke out in the forest area near the Komotini, Greece on August 10, 2025
Flames and smoke rise from a wildfire that breaks out at the Vesuvius National Park in Terzigno, a commune in Naples, Italy on August 8, 2025
A drone view shows fire trucks driving past a house severely damaged by fire in Jonquieres, near Narbonne, southern France, as wildfires sweep through the region, August 8, 2025
lames and smoke rise from burning trees while firefighters continue their efforts to extinguish the fire that broke out in the forest area near the Komotini, Greece on August 10, 2025
The smoke from the fire could be seen from the Pompeii archeological site, which however remained open to tourists.
Over in France, about 1,400 firefighters were deployed Saturday in the southern Aude region to prevent the country’s largest wildfire in decades from reigniting, as all residents were allowed to return to their homes.
Aude prefect Christian Pouget said the fire has been contained since Thursday after burning this week more than 62 square miles in the wooded region, known for its wineries.
Horrifying photos showed the fires left the vineyards as little than piles of ash.
All roads have been reopened but authorities issued a strict ban on accessing the forest, Pouget said at a news conference on Saturday.
‘The fight is continuing, firefighters are still working on (fire) reignition,’ he said.
The blaze left one person dead and 25 people have been injured, including 19 firefighters, Pouget said.
High temperatures in the coming days are expected to complicate firefighters’ efforts.
‘The fire won’t be extinguished for several weeks,’ Col. Christophe Magny, director of the Aude fire department, said, pointing to several ‘hot spots’ that are being closely monitored.
Flames and smoke rise from burning trees while firefighters continue their efforts to extinguish the fire that broke out in the forest area near the Komotini, Greece on August 10, 2025
A firefighter in action amid a wildfire that broke out in the area of Keratea, Southeast Attica, Greece, 9 August 2025
A Canadair flights over flames and smoke rise from a wildfire that breaks out at the Vesuvius National Park in Terzigno, a commune in Naples, Italy on August 9, 2025
A large fire rages in a green area on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius near Naples, Italy, 8 August 2025
France’s national weather agency Meteo France placed the southern half of France on a ‘high vigilance’ alert for heat wave, with temperatures expected in the Aude region of up to 39 degrees Celsius on Saturday.
Monday is forecast to be the ‘hottest day nationwide,’ according to national weather service Meteo France.
In Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse, a 65-year-old woman was found dead on Wednesday in her home, which was devastated by flames.
For livestock farmers in Fontjoncouse, the fire has ravaged grazing land and wiped out much of their flocks, fuelling outrage among those who said they did not have time to evacuate their herds.
Emmanuelle Bernier said she was ‘extremely angry’ when she returned to a devastating scene, finding the pen that had housed her herd of goats in ruins, with 17 animals – some close to giving birth – lost in the fire.
‘I will definitely change jobs. This will change my whole life,’ she said.
Bernier’s property now holds only a few geese and two sick goats after she had to temporarily entrust her surviving sheep to a local winegrower, as the damage to the farm was so extensive that they could no longer stay.
‘Everything here was built around the sheep, and seeing the flock leave was incredibly difficult for me,’ she said.
But as she surveyed the scorched landscape, Bernier voiced some hope for the future.
‘There’s still a little life left,’ she said.
Authorities said one resident suffered serious burns and four others were lightly injured, while 19 firefighters were hurt, including one with a head injury.
In neighboring Spain, firefighters continued to battle a wildfire in Avila province, over 62 miles west of Madrid.
A helicopter drops water to put out the fire while firefighters continue their efforts to extinguish the fire that broke out in the forest area near the Komotini, Greece on August 10, 2025
An helicopter flights over flames and smoke rise from a wildfire that breaks out at the Vesuvius National Park in Terzigno, a commune in Naples, Italy on August 9, 2025
A drone view shows vineyards and scorched vegetation near Jonquieres, near Narbonne, southern France, as wildfires sweep through the region, August 8, 2025
A firefighting airplane in action amid a wildfire that broke out in the area of Keratea, Southeast Attica, Greece, 09 August 2025
Hundreds of firefighters battled the deadly wildfire near Athens for a second day on Saturday
large wildfire breaks out in the town of Keratea near Athens, Greece, on August 8, 2025
Víctor Fernández, a technician at the advanced command post, told reporters Saturday the fire was being contained but warned the next hours would be ‘critical.’ Extreme temperatures are expected to continue until at least next week, according to Spain’s national weather service.
The fire began on Friday afternoon with the Spanish Military Emergencies Unit working through the night to bring it under control and prevent it from approaching roads and train lines.
Southern Europe has seen multiple large fires this summer. Scientists warn that climate change is exacerbating the frequency and intensity of heat and dryness, making the region more vulnerable to wildfires.
