Climate & Disasters

Three more firefighters have died battling wildfires in Crete and the Peloponnese, according to Greek investigators, as a separate blaze west of Athens stretches into its fourth day with roughly 500 firefighters deployed. Flare-ups driven by high winds have repeatedly complicated containment efforts across multiple fronts. Investigators separately concluded that improper helicopter formation and spacing contributed to a mid-air collision that killed two crew members earlier in the crisis. Authorities have not said when conditions are expected to ease enough to fully contain the fires.

Greek authorities have arrested two people on negligence charges after investigators linked the wildfire that downed two firefighting helicopters near Psatha, in Attica, to sparks from wind-turbine power conductors. The crash killed one crew member from Denmark and one from Greece; a British pilot aboard survived. The disaster unfolded amid a broader wildfire crisis spanning Greece, France and Spain, with authorities racing to contain blazes on multiple fronts. Investigators have not detailed what negligence charges the two suspects face.

Washington officials are calling the wildfires burning through the Spokane area the city's largest disaster on record, after flames destroyed roughly 600 structures and forced evacuation orders covering some 60,000 residents. The fires have scorched more than 8 square miles directly and roughly 390 square miles statewide, with heavy smoke blanketing the region and reducing visibility for days. Spokane, Washington's second-largest city, has mobilized emergency resources as the blazes continue to threaten additional neighborhoods. Forecasters say lighter winds and cooler temperatures in the coming days should give firefighting crews their best chance yet to gain control.

Hungary's environment minister László Gajdos has declared a drought state of emergency as Danube water levels drop low enough to disrupt river shipping and passenger boat services across Central Europe. Deutsche Welle frames the disruption as a broader transportation problem, hitting both cargo and passenger routes on the river. The declaration signals officials see the shortage as more than a seasonal dip, serious enough to warrant emergency status and unlock contingency resources. Landlocked countries along the Danube depend on barge shipping for fuel and bulk goods, so a prolonged low-water period could force costlier rail or road rerouting.

George and Amal Clooney evacuated their vineyard estate in Provence as the fire bearing down on the region intensified, joining other residents fleeing the flames. Photos circulating from the scene show scorched vineyards and damaged structures, underscoring how fast the blaze spread through the town. The couple's home has drawn outsized attention in the coverage even though the fire has affected the broader community, not just one high-profile property. It remains unclear whether the Clooney estate itself sustained damage or when residents might be able to return.

France's interior minister says the wildfire situation remains "quite complicated" even as containment efforts continue, signaling the danger hasn't fully passed despite growing attention on relief efforts. The Local France separately reports that Americans have begun mobilizing aid for wildfire victims, though neither outlet specifies whether that support is financial, volunteer-based, or donated supplies. The minister's continued caution suggests officials are not yet ready to declare the fires contained. Together, an unresolved emergency on the ground and an international relief response point to a wildfire crisis serious enough to draw outside support while still active.

A wildfire on the Greek island of Crete has killed two people and forced the evacuation of nearby villages, with Euronews reporting the pair may have been trapped in their vehicle after losing visibility in thick smoke. PBS NewsHour describes the two dead as firefighters, a detail that conflicts with Euronews' account of civilians caught in a car — a discrepancy neither outlet has resolved. Euronews additionally reports a third firefighter died in a separate blaze in the Peloponnese region, suggesting Greece is fighting multiple simultaneous wildfires rather than a single contained fire. Evacuation orders remain in effect for villages near the Crete fire as crews work to contain it.

Wildfires are raging across France, Spain and Greece as a heatwave and strong winds fuel fresh outbreaks, intensifying what is shaping up to be one of the region's most severe wildfire seasons in years. Authorities across all three countries are racing to contain blazes before hot, dry conditions worsen further. The EU has mobilized additional aerial firefighting resources to support the hardest-hit areas. Investigators are also examining whether some of the fires were deliberately set.