Wildfires fuelled by extreme heat and dry conditions swept across parts of southern Europe on Wednesday, killing three firefighters and forcing thousands of people to leave their homes. The blazes hit several regions, including Sicily in Italy, southwestern France, and central Spain, according to reports.
Emergency teams worked to bring the fires under control as temperatures soared and winds spread the flames. The three firefighters died while battling the wildfires in separate incidents. Thousands of residents and tourists were evacuated to safer areas as the fires approached towns and villages.
The fires are part of a series of extreme weather events that have affected the region in recent weeks. Authorities have warned that climate change is making such disasters more frequent and intense.
In Spain, the fire in the central region burned through large areas of forest and farmland. In France, the blaze in the southwest threatened homes and forced road closures. Italian firefighters also battled several fires in Sicily, where the heatwave has been particularly severe.
No further details about the victims were immediately available. Investigations into the causes of the fires are ongoing.