Thousands flee fires in southern Europe

TT

Published 11.21

 

A helicopter water bombs a fire near Thessaloniki in northern Greece. Photo: Giannis Papanikos/AP/TT

Thousands of people in southern Europe have been forced to leave their homes due to ongoing wildfires.

In France, around 20 fires are currently burning, according to the country's Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez. In the southwest of the country, near the city of Perpignan, firefighters are fighting to control a giant forest fire that has forced around 10,000 people to evacuate.

- We started seeing smoke last night, then the fire got closer, Charlotte Pignol, one of the evacuees, told the AFP news agency.

Residents in Greece have also been evacuated as fires spread in the north of the country.

In northern Portugal, firefighters are said to have 80 percent control of the fire that has been raging since last week.

This year's fire season has started unusually early, coming after a heatwave that has hit large parts of Europe.