wildfires News

Storms Threaten Mediterranean From Sicily to Ionian Sea Islands

Thunderstorms are forecast across the Mediterranean from Corfu to Sicily, where a luxury yacht sank off the coast on Monday after being struck by a waterspout, a form of tornado. Orange storms alerts are in place for a swath of …

The Era of Runaway Heat Records Is Here

Las Vegas set a heat record of 117 degrees Fahrenheit (47.2C) in 1942, and for 82 years no weather system could budge it. Thermometers registered the same temperature four more times, all since 2005, without setting a new high. Then …

California Pot Farmers Feel the Heat from Low Pricing, Wildfires

Small-scale cannabis farmers in California are calling it quits, crushed by crop damage from devastating wildfires and sliding prices, and industry experts expect the exodus to continue near-term in the largest pot market in the United States. Unlike for traditional …

Europe’s $42 Billion Effort to Fight Wildfires Is an Uphill Battle

Europe is spending tens of billions of euros a year to fight wildfires, yet it hasn’t stopped blazes from flaring up across Greece and other parts of the continent this summer. This week fires on the outskirts of Athens engulfed …

Wildfire Near Athens Burns Area Nearly Twice the Size of Manhattan

A European Union satellite mapping agency says 104 square kilometers (40 square miles) of land was burned northeast of Athens this week during a deadly wildfire that gutted scores of homes and prompted multiple countries to send assistance. The Copernicus …

Floods Threaten Europe as Searing Heat Gives Way to Storms

Extreme heat in parts of Spain and France is giving way to storms and flood warnings, while Greece is bracing for more blazes after the huge wildfire near Athens was brought under control. Orange alerts are in place for a …

Athens Braces for Wildfire Flare-Ups as High Winds Return

Greek firefighters are working to bring the remnants of a huge wildfire near Athens under control, after wind speeds picked up again on Tuesday afternoon. The biggest blaze of the summer started northeast of the capital Sunday, fueled by strong …

UK Faces High Wildfire Risk After Spell of Warmer Weather

Europe’s wildfire risks are extending as far north as the UK after a recent spell of hot weather. Parts of southeastern England, including areas around London, face high wildfire risks later this week, according to forecasts from Copernicus. Wildfires have …

North Macedonia Seeks EU Assistance as Wildfires Burn Across the Balkans

SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) — North Macedonia said it was seeking further assistance from the European Union Tuesday to combat wildfires that continue to burn out of control in heatwave temperatures and have crossed the southern border into Greece. “Unfortunately, …

Extreme Weather Sends Insured Losses 70% Above Historical Norms

Natural catastrophes caused about $62 billion of insured losses in the first half of 2024 — roughly 70% above the 10-year average — as extreme wildfires, droughts and floods upend historical norms. The data, which were compiled by Munich Re, …