Greece and Turkey continue to battle major wildfires amid a severe heatwave. Temperatures reached 42.4C in central Greece at the weekend, with emergency services battling fires in the Peloponnese area of Athens and on the popular tourist islands of Kytheria and Crete.

As parts of Europe contend with record-breaking heat, wildfires have broken out in countries including Greece, Italy and Türkiye, forcing thousands of locals to evacuate their homes.

An official in Turkey says the country faces a “very risky week” for wildfires as blazes across parts of southeast Europe and the Balkans damaged homes and led to a huge firefighting operation that in

“Causing a wildfire or a forest fire is a criminal offence in Greece – even if unintentional. If you see a fire, call the emergency services on 112. “Be cautious if you are in or near an area affected by wildfires: “For further information, see Greece’s Civil Protection website (in Greek).

Greece battled wildfires that have ravaged homes and prompted evacuations for a second day on Sunday, with the help of Czech firefighters and Italian aircraft expected to arrive later.

Wildfires that have engulfed Turkey for weeks threatened the country’s fourth-largest city early Sunday, causing more than 1,700 people to flee their homes and leaving a firefighter dead.

Temperatures have risen above 45 degreesTourists in Greece have been put on high alert after wildfires have caused evacuations