Disasters & Incidents
Europe wildfires: France aid could top €100m
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said state aid for areas hit by wildfires could cost more than 100 million euros, as firefighters across Europe continued to battle major blazes in Belgium, Spain and Portugal and Greece said deadly fires near Athens had been largely extinguished.
President Emmanuel Macron said fire-hit areas in the Var region of southern France would receive the same financial aid as similarly affected areas in the country's southwest. Lecornu had earlier announced 12 million euros for the southwest and later said the wider state cost could top 100 million euros, including temporary cuts to taxes and social security payments.
In Belgium, the country's biggest wildfire in a century remained uncontained after devastating about 3,000 hectares of the High Fens nature reserve. The blaze stopped short of the German border, but officials warned it could still spread. Rain brought relief to about 500 firefighters and emergency crews, and Germany's defence ministry said it would send two military water-bombing helicopters to Belgium.
The German town of Monschau, close to the border, ordered nearly 30 people living in two streets near the frontier to evacuate.
In Greece, the fire service said two fires on Salamis, an island west of Athens, had been largely extinguished after killing two people and leading to the evacuation of nearly 600 people by boat. The fires broke out Sunday near crowded beaches. The fire department said strong winds spread the flames in seven minutes, trapping an elderly couple near their home.
Authorities in Spain's northeastern Aragon region said they were optimistic about a huge fire that has burned more than 17,000 hectares over the past week. Officials said the major part of the fire had been stabilised and that two historic monasteries threatened by the flames were no longer thought to be in danger. A Spanish soldier died on Sunday while helping to fight the blaze, according to the earlier official account in the regional response.
In France's northern coastal Pas de Calais region, the top official said a wildfire in the Mont Saint Frieux nature reserve was under control after burning about 190 hectares of vegetation on dunes. One home was destroyed, and no casualties were reported.
Lecornu was heckled by around 200 people dressed in black during a visit to a village in the Gironde region, where 183 homes burned down. Some residents alleged authorities prioritised firefighting in the upscale Cap-Ferret peninsula over protecting local homes.
In Portugal, hundreds of firefighters were battling two fires in the north. The larger fire, in Torre de Moncorvo, had burned at least 900 hectares, while another blaze was reported in Ponte de Lima.
Update
President Emmanuel Macron said fire-hit areas in the Var region of southern France would receive the same financial aid as similarly affected areas in the southwest.
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said the total cost to the state of fire aid could exceed 100 million euros, including temporary cuts to taxes and social security payments.
Source note: AFP news report published on 17 August 2026 at 19:45:29 UTC.
Update
A wildfire in Mont Saint Frieux in France's Pas de Calais region is now under control after burning about 190 hectares and destroying one home, with no casualties reported.
Portuguese firefighters were battling two northern fires, including one in Torre de Moncorvo that had burned at least 900 hectares and another in Ponte de Lima.
Source note: AFP news report published on 17 August 2026 at 18:12:29 UTC.
Update
Authorities in Spain's Aragon region said they were optimistic after the major part of a wildfire that burned more than 17,000 hectares was stabilised.
Officials said two historic monasteries threatened by the Aragon fire were no longer thought to be in danger.
Belgium's wildfire halted short of the German border, but officials warned it was not yet contained and could still spread.
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu announced 12 million euros in aid for two badly affected areas.
Some Gironde residents alleged authorities prioritised firefighting in Cap-Ferret over protecting local homes.
Source note: AFP news report published on 17 August 2026 at 16:48:38 UTC.
Update
Rain began falling in Belgium as firefighters battled a wildfire that has burned about 3,000 hectares in the High Fens park.
Germany said it would send two military water-bombing helicopters to Belgium.
Greece's fire service said two fires on Salamis that killed two people and led to nearly 600 boat evacuations had been largely extinguished.
About 200 people jeered French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu during a visit to Le Porge in the Gironde region.
French authorities said 250 people evacuated from a fire in Landes would be allowed to return to Luglon because the fire was under control.
Source note: AFP news report published on 17 August 2026 at 08:04:26 UTC.
Update
Hundreds of firefighters in Portugal were battling several fires, including near the Spanish border.
Local media reported that five firefighters in Portugal sustained minor injuries when their vehicle caught fire near Dine.
A German border town ordered a partial evacuation because of the threat from Belgium's wildfire.
Source note: AFP news report published on 16 August 2026 at 22:39:31 UTC.
Update
A Spanish soldier died while helping to fight a major wildfire in Aragon, regional leader Jorge Azcon said.
French reinforcements were due to help contain the Aragon wildfire.
More than 570 people were evacuated from beaches on Salamis by coast guard patrol boats and other vessels, a coastguard spokeswoman said.
A first group of people evacuated from the Landes fire in southwestern France was due to be allowed to return home on Sunday evening.
Source note: AFP news report published on 16 August 2026 at 18:58:14 UTC.
Update
Greece's fire department said two people died when two fires broke out on Salamis near Athens.
Hundreds of bathers and permanent residents were evacuated from beaches on Salamis, according to the Greek fire service.
Belgium's wildfire was described as its largest modern-day blaze, with military helicopters and tractors helping firefighters.
The Landes fire in southwestern France was stabilised after three days, but about 650 evacuated people were still not allowed to return home.
Source note: AFP news report published on 16 August 2026 at 15:07:50 UTC.
Update
Belgium's High Fens wildfire has more than doubled in 24 hours to affect about 3,000 hectares, authorities said.
More than 250 firefighters and other emergency personnel worked through the night in eastern Belgium, according to the Wallonia regional government.
Croatian police said they arrested four people suspected of starting some wildfires on the Adriatic coast.
A southwest France fire has burned 1,700 hectares since Thursday, but regional prefect Gilles Clavreul said conditions were developing more favourably.
A separate fire in France's Ardennes has burned about 100 hectares since Saturday, and a fire service official described the situation as unprecedented in the department's recent history.
Firefighters were battling a forest fire on the Greek island of Skyros for a second day, while the mayor said he hoped it would be fully extinguished within the day.
Source note: AFP news report published on 16 August 2026 at 09:23:23 UTC.
Update
Authorities said the Fagnes natural park wildfire in eastern Belgium had burned about 16 square kilometres, up from the earlier reported nearly 8.5 square kilometres.
The Aragon fire in northeastern Spain was in its sixth day, had affected more than 15,000 hectares and still had about 1,000 people from 18 villages and settlements evacuated.
Firefighters in Spain said they had halted the Aragon fire's spread toward population centres and two monasteries.
Forecasts for the Aragon region called for light rain and lower temperatures.
Source note: AFP news report published on 15 August 2026 at 12:27:27 UTC.
Update
A forest fire in southwest France's Landes region reignited early Saturday, prompting another 100 evacuations around Luglon.
The Landes fire has burned 15.8 square kilometres of forest and forced about 650 people from their homes, according to regional prefect Gilles Clavreul.
A wildfire in Belgium's Fagnes natural park has burned almost 8.5 square kilometres of forest, and reinforcements from Belgium and Germany have been called in.
About 1,400 firefighters were battling a major fire in Germany's Eifel region, where about 1,800 people had been evacuated from Hurtgenwald.
More than 100 firefighters and two water-bombing planes fought a major fire on Croatia's Dugi otok island, while another fire on the Peljesac peninsula was brought under control.
Serbian authorities said they were battling 25 serious forest fires, including one that burned 25 square kilometres at Deliblatska national park near Belgrade.
Greek firefighters remained on high alert after more than 50 agricultural and forest fires broke out in 24 hours, most of them quickly controlled.
Source note: AFP news report published on 15 August 2026 at 09:29:32 UTC.
Update
Croatian police said a body was found in a burnt-out area after a wildfire surrounded Omis overnight.
Andy Burnham said the United Kingdom had to face climate change and speed up its move to clean energy after a wildfire gutted houses in Stourbridge.
Source note: AFP news report published on 14 August 2026 at 14:28:56 UTC.
Update
Around 2,000 people were evacuated from villages near the coastal fire in Croatia.
A fire in Spain's Aragon region forced 850 evacuations and threatened the San Juan de la Pena monasteries, with remains and artefacts removed as a precaution.
A second wildfire in North Rhine-Westphalia was being fought near Moehnesee lake by about 100 emergency workers.
Emergency crews were also battling fires along Montenegro's coast, and fires were reported near Albania's capital.
In Greece, officials and public broadcaster ERT said about 200 tourists were taken to a ship waiting at sea during beach evacuations.
Source note: AFP news report published on 14 August 2026 at 12:57:30 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
The final cost of French state aid is not yet confirmed.
Belgian officials said conditions could change and the High Fens fire was not yet contained.
Source
AFP news report published on .