Intense wildfires, fueled by a heatwave and powerful winds, are sweeping across Europe

On Wednesday, wildfires sparked by arsonists or thunderstorms, intensified by a heatwave and strong winds, continued to rage in southern Europe. They destroyed homes, farmland, and industrial sites, forcing the evacuation of thousands of residents and tourists. Flames and dense smoke billowed from a cement factory consumed by a wildfire that swept through olive groves and forests, disrupting rail services near the Greek city of Patras, west of Athens.