Greece continued to battle major wildfires across the country amid a severe heatwave, but firefighters have brought many outbreaks under control.
Extreme heat persisted, with temperatures reaching 42.4C (108.32F) in central Greece on Sunday.
Firefighters were working on five major fire fronts late on Sunday in the Peloponnese area west of Athens, as well as on the islands of Evia, Kythira and Crete.
Meanwhile, neighbouring Turkey has recorded its highest ever temperature as fires raged in several regions.
Turkey’s forestry minister, Ibrahim Yumakli, said on Sunday that areas affected by fires were “going through risky times” and that he thought it would be several days before they were fully contained.
On Saturday, Turkey’s environment ministry said meteorologists had recorded a reading of 50.5C in the south-eastern city of Silopi, surpassing the previous heat record of 49.5C.
Firefighters have faced a four-day battle to contain a fire in the northern Karabuk province, AFP news agency reported on Sunday. On Wednesday, 10 people died fighting a fire in Eskisehir, a province in the north-west, it added.
Some local authorities have announced restrictions on water consumption, including for the resort of Cesme on Turkey’s west coast.
In Greece, high winds continued to fan the flames on Sunday. The country formally requested assistance from the EU Civil Protection Mechanism for six firefighting aircraft.
Fire brigade spokesman Vasilios Vathrakoyannis said early on Sunday that the situation had improved after an “all night battle”.
Climate crisis and civil protection minister Giannis Kefalogiannis previously said: “We have injured firefighters, human lives were put at risk, properties have been burned, and forest areas have been destroyed.”
In Kythira, a blaze spread rapidly after breaking out on Saturday morning in the village of Pitsinades. According to initial estimates, about 20% of the island has been affected by the fire.
New evacuation alerts were issued on Sunday ordering
