South Wales firefighters deployed to Greece to help tackle ongoing wildfires

  • Fires continue to rage across Greece with no end in sight, reports Mark McQuillan

Firefighters from south Wales have been deployed to Greece to help tackle the ongoing wildfires in the country.

Four firefighters with specialist wildfire knowledge and experience have volunteered alongside colleagues from Merseyside, Lancashire, London and West Midlands.

Together, the crews will work to battle the ferocious blazes with Greek firefighters.

Fires have burned for seven days and continue to engulf homes and turn skies red.

The island of Evia and parts of the Peloponnese region are the worst affected areas.

More than 1,400 people have been forced to flee Evia by sea since Friday night, with there being no other means of escaping the island.

The South Wales Fire and Rescue Service said, "we are proud to continue a long tradition of providing support to colleagues across the world and all our thoughts are with those affected by this tragedy."

People who fled their homes during wildfires are accommodated at an indoor hall in Chalkida the capital of Evia island on 7 August. Credit: AP

The wildfires have come after Greece's most intense heatwave in three decades.

Greek and European officials have blamed climate change for the large number of fires that have burned throughout southern Europe in recent days, including Italy, Turkey and the Balkans.

Massive fires have also been burning across Siberia in northern Russia for weeks, destroying almost 15 million acres this year in the country.

In the US, hot weather has also led to devastating wildfires in California.