Europe wildfires force evacuations as heat tops 35C

Countries across Europe battled new wildfires on Friday as temperatures above 35C were expected to affect about 150 million people, according to AFP calculations.

In France, a fire in the southwestern Landes department forced more than 500 people to flee and burned 1,100 hectares as it approached the village of Luglon. Fire chief Arnaud Fabre said the blaze was slowing but warned of possible flare-ups, with local temperatures expected to reach 36C.

In western Germany, a wildfire forced around 1,800 people from their homes overnight. Officials said helicopters and army equipment were deployed after the blaze near Huertgenwald expanded from 25 hectares to 300 hectares by Friday morning.

British fire services were also under pressure from multiple wildfires during soaring temperatures and drought conditions. In Stourbridge, central England, three firefighters were hospitalised after fighting a blaze that left fields scorched and homes burned out.

Croatian firefighters were tackling what fire chief Slavko Tucakovic called one of the worst wildfires in the country's history, with flames damaging homes and injuring 19 people on the coast. Local officials said at least 1,000 people displaced by the fire were moved into a sports hall in Omis.

In northern Greece, small boats evacuated about 500 tourists from beaches on Thursday as a forest fire threatened two resorts on the Halkidiki peninsula. Two firefighters were injured, and aircraft helped crews stop the flames from spreading further.

AFP calculations also indicated that temperatures above 30C were set to affect about 350 million European residents, excluding Turkey.