Wildfires kill three across southern Europe, force thousands to evacuate

By David Latona

PATRAS, Greece/MADRID (Reuters) -Hundreds of firefighters battled to put out wildfires across southern Europe on Thursday, some of which are believed to have been set deliberately by arsonists and stoked by an extended heat wave gripping the region.

The European Union sent reinforcements to help Greece and Spain tackle blazes which have killed three firefighters, damaged homes and buildings and razed swathes of farm and forest land, forcing the evacuation of thousands of people. 

Hot and dry summers have been common in the Mediterranean region. But wildfires fanned by intense heat and winds, the result of a fast-changing climate, scientists say, have become more destructive and tougher to control.

From Portugal to Spain, Albania and Greece, firefighters struggled to contain towering walls of flames threatening life and property. The Iberian Peninsula alone made up about half of the EU's burned area of some 500,000 hectares (1,931 square miles) so far this year, according to estimates by the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS).

In Greece, more than 200 firefighters assisted by 11 aircraft battled to extinguish a blaze near the port city of Patras in the western Peloponnese. Elevated temperatures stoked tinderbox conditions.

"In such circumstances just a spark is enough to start a fire which can quickly spin out of control," said Greece's Civil Protection and Climate Change Minister Giannis Kefalogiannis.

Three people suspected of deliberately igniting wildfires near Patras were arrested and expected to appear before a public prosecutor on Thursday, a senior police official told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

Greece has made available a record number of some 18,000 firefighters this year.

RAGING INFERNO

In Spain, three people, including volunteer firefighters, died amiddozens of wildfires this week, as the country baked in a heat wave for an 11th day with temperatures as high as 44 degrees Celsius (111 Fahrenheit) in some areas, expected to last until Monday. 

Local media identified the latest victim as 37-year-old Jaime Aparicio, who suffered burns to 85% of his body after being trapped alongside another volunteer firefighter as they attempted to create firebreaks with brush cutters.

On Thursday, 11 large fires threatened built-up areas, forcing authorities to evacuate over 9,000 residents, and to cut off roads and suspend rail services. 

In Portugal, nearly 1,000 firefighters battled a blaze near the scenic mountain village of Piodao. Crews managed to bring under control a wildfire burning for 11 days - the longest for this season - in the mountainous area of Vila Real in the north.

In Albania, soldiers, firefighters, and volunteers, supported by helicopters and an Italian Canadair fire jet, battled to contain separate fronts in the Sopot area between Delvina and Gjirokastra on Thursday after blazes raging for days damaged dozens of homes and charred agricultural land.

Prime Minister Edi Rama said on Thursday 137 arsonists have been identified since June, and several were being arrested.

Clirim Conku, a 61-year-old farmer in southern Albania, lost vineyards, olive groves and all his livestock in a wildfire but was relieved he and his faithful dog survived.

"I was using everything to keep the flames out. For example to fight the smoke this napkin has saved my life. I put some water on it but it stayed wet more with sweat," he said. 

Others were bitter that a lifetime of work was gone in minutes.

Restaurant owner Dimitris Daskas, 57, whose business was close to Patras, broke his arm while trying to save his property and was left without water or power as the flames approached.

"My wife was calling (emergency services) to say we are on fire; they didn’t even pick up," he told Reuters.

(Reporting by Louiza Vradi in Patras, David Latona in Madrid, Andrey Khalip in Lisbon, Fatos Bytyci in Tirana; Additional reporting by Daria Sito-Sucic in Sarajevo; Writing by Angeliki Koutantou; Editing by Bernadette Baum)