Wildfires Briefly Shut Dardanelles Strait to Shipping as Europe Battles Infernos

Wildfires briefly shut the Dardanelles Strait to shipping on Monday evening, as extreme heat and strong winds fueled blazes across the Mediterranean.

The Dardanelles — a vital maritime chokepoint for oil and gas from the Black Sea and Central Asia — was quickly reopened after being closed to allow firefighting aircraft to scoop up water from the sea to tackle nearby blazes. Turkish firefighters contained wildfires ravaging its north Aegean coast, but towns and pine forests in Canakkale province are still threatened, and almost 2,900 residents have been evacuated, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

Large parts of Europe are facing wildfire threats, as scorching weather bakes the region this week. Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of heat waves in Europe, triggering more extreme weather events such as the deadly wildfires that ravaged Aude in southwest France last week. In Spain, hundreds of people were evacuated on Monday evening as a fire started in Tres Cantos on the outskirts of Madrid.

High temperatures and strong wind meant the fire spread quickly in the Spanish capital. One person died from severe burns.

Red heat warnings have been issued for Spain, France, Croatia, Serbia and Romania, as a high-pressure system is amplified by former tropical storm Dexter. Temperatures are forecast to exceed 42C (108F) in southwest France on Tuesday.

Several forest fires ignited overnight in Greece, triggering evacuation orders at Koiliomenos on the island of Zakinthos, at Lagkada and Argostoli on the island of Kefallonia and in the center of the country at Varko in Etoloakarnania.

With strong winds and temperatures as high as 41C, large swaths of Greece are at very high fire risk, including most of Peloponnese, Athens and the second-largest island of Evia. Cyprus was also on the highest red alert for wildfires.

Forest fires are also raging in Montenegro, the Adriatic state heavily reliant on summer tourism. The worst hit areas are near the capital Podgorica, and on the coast, close to popular resorts where fire from a broken car quickly spread, endangering homes and hotels.

The government has called for international help, with neighboring Serbia already dispatching firefighting helicopters.

Wildfires in Italy and Scotland this week also forced authorities to close tourist areas near Vesuvius National Park and Arthur’s Seat, respectively.

Photograph: Firefighters tackle a wildfire in Canakkale, near the Dardanelles Strait, in Turkey, on Aug. 11, 2025. Photo credit: Murat Sengul/Getty Images