Heatwave-fuelled wildfires rage in southern France, Italy and Spain

Wildfires are currently burning in Sicily, southwestern France, and central Spain, leading to thousands of evacuations and the deaths of three firefighters. Temperatures have exceeded 40 degrees Celsius, with hot winds exacerbating the situation, particularly in Sicily where fires have been ongoing for several days. In response, approximately 6,000 firefighters, forest guards, and civil protection officials have been deployed to combat the flames, utilizing water-bombing aircraft. The head of the region in Sicily stated that 50 fires were still active.