France, Spain and Greece battle wildfires that have forced hundreds of thousands to flee
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- Firefighters are battling major wildfires across Europe, including the U.K., Spain, France, Greece and Turkey.
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Firefighters → battle → U.K.
- Hundreds of thousands have been forced to flee, though France gave the go-ahead today for 84,000 evacuees to return home.
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evacuees → force → ahead
Residents of the coastal community of Le Porge were among those assessing the damage, telling CBC News the randomness of the destruction was "like a lottery."
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randomness → assess → lottery
- Fires in Greece killed three firefighters and forced tourists and residents to flee parts of Crete, some by boat.
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Fires → kill → boat
- Firefighters are tackling a significant wildfire at the village of Dunwich Heath in eastern England.
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Firefighters → tackle → England
The wildfire is close to two nuclear facilities, but officials said the fire is not expected to spread toward them.
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fire → say → them
- Spain downgraded the emergency level of a huge fire burning near Madrid, but Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez warned the danger wasn't over.
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danger → downgrade → Madrid
John MazerolleFirefighters make some progress in Europe, but new fires and extreme heat persist
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fires → make → Europe
Wildfire progress in France has slowed, according to officials.
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progress → slow → officials
However, the impact in southwestern villages like Le Porge remains severe, with 180 homes destroyed.
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homes → remain → Porge
According to the village's mayor, almost no residents have returned as fires continue and CO2 levels remain a concern.
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levels → accord → mayor
This concludes our live page coverage of the European wildfires for Thursday.
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This → conclude → Thursday
Firefighters are battling wildfires across the continent, slowing some major fires in Spain and France but facing fresh blazes elsewhere amid suffocating heat and tinderbox conditions.
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Firefighters → battle → heat
In Spain, a fire that had been raging close to Madrid has been contained.
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that → rag → Madrid
But Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez warned the danger isn't over, even as he downgraded the emergency level today.
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he → warn → level
In France, two people were arrested on suspicion of arson as crews contained a vast fire near Bordeaux.
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crews → arrest → Bordeaux
Residents in the southwestern village Le Porge told CBC News about the mix of anger, guilt and relief they felt as they returned to their homes.
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they → tell → homes
In Greece, fires have killed three firefighters and forced tourists and residents to flee parts of Crete, some by boat.
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fires → kill → boat
And in eastern England, firefighters were tackling a significant wildfire at Dunwich Heath, prompting the evacuation of about 200 caravans from the area, which is a significant biodiversity site.
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which → tackle → area
Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service called the blaze one of the most challenging incidents in the county's history.
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Service → call → history
– With files from The Associated Press
- Natalie Stechyson
U.K. fire has grown and is difficult to predict: officials
The Dunwich Heath fire has grown to about 150 hectares, U.K. fire officials posted in a live update about 30 minutes ago.
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officials → grow → update
"Changing wind conditions continue to affect the direction and behaviour of the fire, making it difficult to predict how it may spread," Suffolk Fire and Rescue said.
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Fire → change → fire
About 120 firefights are involved in the response, the note reads, and they have requested additional national support.
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they → involve → support
"We expect the response to continue for at least the next 48 hours.
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response → expect → hours
While some rain is possible overnight, several more dry days are forecast."
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days → forecast → ?
U.K. fire 'just horrendous'
Judy Bayly, 73, who owns caravans in evacuated areas, says she feels "incredibly emotional" about the wildfire burning in eastern England.
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she → own → England
Firefighters are tackling a significant wildfire at Dunwich Heath, a rare surviving area of coastal lowland heath that is home to protected bird species and other wildlife.
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that → tackle → species
Hundreds of people have had to evacuate homes, vacation cottages and a mobile home park.
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Hundreds → have → homes
"It was licking flames way up into the sky.
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It → lick → sky
It's just horrendous," Bayly said.
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Bayly → say → ?
Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service said the fire was moving inland and could burn for another 36 hours.
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fire → say → hours
U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham called it "a very serious incident."
With files from Reuters and The Associated Press
- Natalie Stechyson
Major incident declared in Suffolk, England
Firefighters are tackling a significant wildfire at the village of Dunwich Heath in eastern England.
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Firefighters → call → England
The blaze burning in Suffolk county is about the size of 140 soccer fields, BBC reports.
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BBC → burn → fields
Fire officials have called it "fast moving" and one of the most challenging incidents in the county's history.
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officials → call → history
Crews are struggling due to the difficult terrain.
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Crews → struggle → terrain
About 200 caravans were evacuated from the area, and BBC reports about 150 people are affected.
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people → evacuate → area
The local council website is urging people to avoid lighting barbecues and campfires near vegetation, and dispose of cigarettes safely.
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website → urge → cigarettes
France's wildfire projections were way off, climate expert says
The scale of wildfire destruction France thought it might face in 2050 is happening 24 years earlier, says a U.K. based climate expert.
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expert → say → 2050
Laurie Laybourn, executive director of a think tank called the Strategic Climate Risks Initiative, says France conducted scenario planning in recent years to predict how bad climate change could get.
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change → call → years
"Its projections of the scale of wildfire destruction for 2050 are happening now," Laybourn told CBC Radio's What on Earth.
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Laybourn → happen → Earth
…and 45 more, not listed.
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