Wildfires Force Thousands to Evacuate Across Europe

Wildfires tore across Europe on Friday, forcing thousands of evacuations and causing widespread damage as a relentless heatwave left forests tinder-dry. Blazes in Croatia, Germany, France, and Greece prompted emergency responses, with firefighters battling flames that threatened homes, businesses, and historic sites.

In Croatia, a wildfire driven by strong winds swept into the coastal town of Omis overnight, forcing around 1,000 people to evacuate. The blaze engulfed houses and turned the night sky red, with witnesses reporting that some residents jumped into the sea as boats caught fire. At least 19 people were injured, with two in serious condition transferred to a hospital in Split. Chief Fire Commander Slavko Tucakovic described the fire as having "swept everything on its way," causing huge material damage. The town's sports hall was opened as an emergency shelter, and a navy boat was positioned for potential sea evacuations.

Germany saw the evacuation of about 1,800 residents from the village of Gey in the early hours of Friday after a wildfire in the Hürtgen forest near the Belgian border spread toward homes. Flames came within 300 meters of the village, and the situation...