Wildfires in Europe have claimed lives and destroyed thousands of hectares in Belgium, Greece, and Spain, amid a wave of extreme weather events that has also caused deadly floods in Japan and the United States.

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In Belgium, authorities reported the largest wildfire ever recorded in the country, which ravaged nearly 3,000 hectares in the High Fens nature reserve.

The fire, which started on Friday, was advancing toward the German border on Sunday, forcing the evacuation of hundreds of people. To combat the flames, firefighters from Belgium, Germany, and Luxembourg worked throughout the night. A Royal Netherlands Air Force from the Royal Netherlands Air Force participated in the firefighting efforts.

Stephanie Ernoux, a spokesperson for the administration of the Belgian region of Wallonia, indicated that teams were focused on the front advancing toward Germany and were hoping that “cooler, wetter weather would facilitate efforts to contain it.”

Meanwhile, in Greece, the national broadcaster ERT reported that two bodies were found on the island of Salamis during a forest fire. The victims, preliminarily identified as a married couple, were found near the Peristeria forest area.

In Spain, tragedy also struck. The regional president of Aragon, Jorge Azcón, confirmed the death of a soldier from the Military Emergency Unit in the Peñas de Riglos fire, when his vehicle overturned.

However, positive progress was reported in the south of the country, as the fire in the Raboconejo area of ​​Niebla, Huelva, which broke out on August 6, was stabilized, according to an announcement by the president of the Andalusian Regional Government, Juanma Moreno, from the Advanced Command Post.

The impact of extreme weather events globally has also manifested itself with torrential rains and floods. In the Japanese prefecture of Chiba, east of Tokyo, the rainfall was described as exceptional and left at least ten dead and numerous homes damaged. Simultaneously, in Indiana, at least six people died after several days of storms. Among the fatalities, recorded since the storms began on August 11, were a 4-year-old child, two men, and three women, according to Liz Woods, a spokeswoman for the state’s Department of Homeland Security, as floodwaters reached their peak on the White River in Indianapolis and the rains were expected to subside.

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