A massive fire erupted near Platanias on the west coast of Crete on Wednesday, leading to the evacuation of hundreds of tourists from two large hotels. The blaze, which started in a reed bed and spread quickly due to strong winds, forced authorities to evacuate the western part of the town. Despite the efforts of over 90 firefighters and three tanker helicopters, the fire was only contained to a stable perimeter by late afternoon and remained uncontrolled. The current heat waves and dried vegetation have exacerbated the situation, with another fire reported in northern Greece. This follows a recent devastating fire in Athens that destroyed over 10,000 hectares and caused significant damage.
Tag: heatwaves
The year 2024 is on track to become the hottest on record, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service. Despite a slight dip in July temperatures compared to 2023, extreme heatwaves, record ocean temperatures, and widespread weather disasters signal a continuing trend of global warming.
June 2024 set a new record as the hottest June ever, continuing a 13-month streak of unprecedented global heat, according to the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service. The extreme weather has led to severe floods, heatwaves, and record ocean temperatures, with experts warning that even La Niña conditions may not halt the rise in global temperatures.
According to data from the Climatebook annual report, there is a continuous upward trend in…