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As it happenedended1690557724

Greece fires – live: Rhodes state of emergency remains as flames reach outskirts of Athens

Fire Service spokesman Ioannis Artopios said 12 villages were ordered to be evacuated

Plane fighting wildfires in Evia crashes

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A wildfire has triggered a series of massive explosions at an air force ammunition depot in central Greece.

The depot was evacuated before the explosions, which shattered windows in the surrounding area. No injuries were reported, although continued blasts prevented firefighting teams from approaching the site.

Greek state broadcaster ERT said the facility is in the coastal town of Nea Aghialos near the Volos area.

The fire reached the ammunition storage facility about four miles north of the major military air base in Nea Anchialos. Local media reported that bombs and ammunition for Greek F-16 fighters were stored at the site

The fighter jets are reportedly being moved from the air base.

Fire Service spokesman Ioannis Artopios said 12 villages were ordered to be evacuated in the Volos-Nea Anchialos area.

Meanwhile, the blaze reached the outskirts of Athens, with 61 fires breaking out across the country in 24 hours.

Deadly wildfires on Greece’s mainland have killed two as wildfires spread in Europe and north Africa including Greece, Portugal, Turkey, Italy, France, Croatia, Spain, Algeria and Tunisia.

1690545164

‘Drop in temperatures and calmer winds’ eases the pressure

A drop in temperatures and calmer winds has assisted firefighters in their efforts on Friday.

In Greece, all major fires were contained at midday, Fire Service officials said.

Conditions also improved elsewhere in the Mediterranean, thanks to cooler weather after days of high heat, allowing firefighters to contain wildfires along the Croatian coast and in Sicily.

Vassilis Kikilias, the Greek minister for climate change and civil protection, said fires had burned 400 sq. kilometers (155 sq. miles) of land in July alone, while the recent average is 500 sq. kilometers (nearly 200 sq. miles) in a year.

"Is the situation any better in other countries bordering the Mediterranean? It's a fair question ... but the answer is no," Mr Kikilias said.

"The climate crisis that brought us this unprecedented heat wave is here. It's not a theory. It is our actual experience," he said. "This is not something that will just occur this year. It will last and we have to face the consequences of what that means."

AP/ William Mata28 July 2023 12:52
1690545614

Maps show the extent of wildfires in Rhodes, Corfu and Portugal

Wildfires have ravaged at least nine countries in Europe and North Africa this week, forcing mass evacuations as firefighters battle on in tinderbox conditions.

Extreme heat and billowing winds have created the “perfect storm” for fires to rip through swathes of land in Greece, France, Portugal, Spain, Gran Canaria, Italy, Croatia, Turkey, Algeria and Tunisia.

Maryam Zakir-Hussain28 July 2023 13:00
1690547414

Full story: Arsonist caught on camera in Italy

Authorities in Italy have released drone footage said to show a suspected arsonist in action in the Calabria region, as firefighters continue to battle wildfires across the south.

Searing temperatures have scorched Sicily, Sardinia and Calabria, where dozens of fires have broken out and multiple evacuations have been ordered.

The president of the Calabria region, Roberto Occhiuto, vowed to take action against such arsonists, adding that 22 suspected arsonists had been caught via drone surveillance last year.

In the footage he released, the suspect can be seen in a woodland area, before throwing rocks at the drone.

Suspected arsonist caught starting wildfires in Italy by police drone
Oliver Browning28 July 2023 13:30
1690549214

Is it safe to travel to Turkey? Latest Foreign Office advice as wildfires spread across Europe

Turkey has joined other holiday destinations across Europe in being struck by wildfires while in the grip of high temperatures.

Mediterranean countries have seen days of flames, first seen on the Greek island of Rhodes but since spreading to Corfu, Sicily and parts of Portugal, France and the Canary Islands.

Turkey has joined other holiday destinations across Europe in being struck by wildfires while in the grip of high temperatures.
Turkey has joined other holiday destinations across Europe in being struck by wildfires while in the grip of high temperatures. (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
Benjamin Parker28 July 2023 14:00
1690549685

‘River flowing to the sea’: Water cascades down Scarborough town centre as month of rain falls in a day

A seaside town centre high street resembled a river when a month’s worth of rain fell in just one day.

This footage, filmed by The Scarborough Joke and Magic Shop, shows water cascade down Eastborough in the Yorkshire seaside town on Thursday.

Cars can be seen to aquaplaning down the road, with water cascading down. Shoppers are also seen taking cover under umberellas and in the shops. One resident said: “It looks like a river flowing to the sea.”

It happened following heavy downpours across large swathes of northern England on Thursday with some places seeing around 50mm.

Water cascades down British seaside town centre as month of rain falls in one day
Lucy Leeson28 July 2023 14:08
1690551350

Video shows water planes tackling fire in Italy

Two Canadair water planes have been sent to tackle a blaze that has started in woodland in northern Italy, near the French border.

It follows a fire breaking out in Puglia on Thursday which was filmed by the local fire brigade.

William Mata28 July 2023 14:35
1690552120

A pollution tax on older cars can be extended to London's suburbs after a British court ruling

A British court ruled Friday against London suburbs that tried to block a pollution tax on older cars as green policies become a hot political issue in the U.K. amid increasingly dramatic impacts of global climate change.

The High Court ruled that Mayor Sadiq Khan had the authority to expand the Ultra Low Emission Zone, or ULEZ, which charges drivers of older gas and diesel vehicles 12.50 pounds ($16) a day they operate, to the city's outskirts next month.

Five conservative councils challenged Mr Khan's right to impose the measure. They criticized the expansion to an area where there are fewer public transport options and people are more reliant on cars, and because of a disproportionate impact on lower-income drivers who can't afford newer, cleaner cars.

The dust-up over how to control emissions comes as July is on target to be the hottest month in recorded human history and the effects of a warming planet can be seen in catastrophic wildfires, flooding and alarming ocean temperatures. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres this week declared: "The era of global warming has ended; the era of global boiling has arrived."

The new proposed Ulez borders will reach Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent and Surrey (Yui Mok/PA)
The new proposed Ulez borders will reach Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent and Surrey (Yui Mok/PA) (PA Wire)
AP28 July 2023 14:48
1690552814

Moment police rescue children from raging storm at camp site in northern Spain

This is the moment police rescued 64 people, 40 of which were children, from a camp site during a raging storm in northern Spain.

The group were rescued from the site in the Sarvise area of Spain, which has been hit by heavy rain. Vehicles have been stranded by torrents of muddy water, while streets in nearby areas have been flooded.

The Guardia Civil shared footage of the rescue on its Twitter page and said: “The @GuardiaCivil of #Torla has evacuated 64 people, 40 of them minors, from a camp affected by strong storms in the area of #Sarvise .”

Police rescue stricken children from camp site in northern Spain amid raging storm
Lucy Leeson28 July 2023 15:00
1690554014

No G20 consensus on emissions mitigation targets at talks

Climate talks between representatives of the Group of 20 countries (G20) have failed to reach a consensus on emission reduction and mitigation targets, an Indian official said on the last day of the discussions on Friday.

Developed countries in the group demanded mitigation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2025 and a reduction of absolute GHG emissions by 43% by 2030, all in a bid to contain global warming and stave off even worse heatwaves, wildfires and floods.

Both demands were opposed by developing countries, the official, who did not want to be named, said.

The developing countries said the overall mitigation targets - aimed at cutting or eliminating greenhouse gas emissions, or removing them from the atmosphere - would limit their ability to develop infrastructure and grow, the official said.

They wanted the bloc to stick to the 2015 Paris Agreement that allowed different countries to tackle global warming in different ways depending on their circumstances, the official added.

The 2022 G20 summit in Indonesia
The 2022 G20 summit in Indonesia (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
William Mata28 July 2023 15:20
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Weather forecast: Europe this weekend

The weather forecast for European wildfire hotspots has shown that heat will continue over the weekend but there will not be scorching temperatures.

There have been highs of 40C but the weekend is set to being temperatures of just over the 30C barrier.

Greek island Rhodes will see highs of 32 and 33C on Saturday and Sunday respectively, according to BBC weather.

In Italy, Puglia will see a peak of 38C on Sunday while Sardinia will see only 32C.

Southern France will likely not see the heat it had experiences while the BBC estimates Seville will be one of the warmer Spanish cities at 39C on Sunday.

Tarragona beach, Spain.
Tarragona beach, Spain. (Alamy)
William Mata28 July 2023 15:22

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