Southern Europe on high alert as wildfires rage

Southern Europe on high alert as wildfires rage

An uncontained wildfire four times the size of Paris threatened to surge again in southwest France on Wednesday, as three firefighters died in Greece and crews across southern Europe confronted a punishing mix of heat, drought and strong winds. In the forest of Fontainebleau, south of Paris, firefighters were able to contain Wednesday's flare-up. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates.

Three firefighters killed as deadly wildfires rage across southern Europe

Greece's fire department said the firefighters lost their lives while tackling separate fires on the island of Crete and in the country's southern mainland. The deaths came as soaring temperatures and strong winds made firefighting operations increasingly difficult. The wildfires now stretch across a vast area from the Atlantic coast to the eastern Mediterranean, affecting countries including France, Spain, Greece and Turkey.

Southern Europe burns as 3 firefighters die and France battles blaze 4 times the size of Paris

Three Greek firefighters die as wildfires threaten parts of southern Europe

Gale-force winds on Crete have whipped up flames prompting the evacuation of several villages, as parts of the continent continue to tackle fires.

Battling wildfires across Europe

Battling wildfires across Europe

Fires continue to rage across Europe, including in France’s wine country. NBC News’ Raf Sanchez was with firefighters and volunteers in the region as they battled the flames.

Three Greek firefighters killed as wildfires strike further east in Europe

Three firefighters killed on Crete and in mainland Greece as Europe battles wildfires

Repeated heatwaves and strong winds alarm experts, who warn blazes are becoming harder to quell Three Greek firefighters have died while tackling wildfires on the island of Crete and in the south of the mainland, the Greek fire department has said, as extreme heat hinders efforts to control blazes ravaging southern Europe. The arc of brutal fires, which runs from the Atlantic coast to the eastern Mediterranean, and from the Scottish Highlands to the south of Spain, has alarmed experts because many of the fires have been out of control and burning close to towns and cities. Continue reading...