Iran Press/ Europe: Climate change and global warming in recent years have led to fires and torrential rains around the world.
Scientists have repeatedly warned that climate change, caused by fossil fuel emissions, will make heat waves more intense and deadly.
Firefighters were struggling through the night to contain 82 wildfires across Greece, 64 of which started Sunday, the hottest day of the summer so far.
Their ongoing efforts were without the help of firefighting planes and helicopters, which do not operate at night.
The most serious fire is on the island of Rhodes. Some 19,000 people have been evacuated from several locations on Rhodes as wildfires burned for a sixth day, Greek authorities said. No further evacuations have been ordered so far Sunday evening.
Fire Brigade spokesman Yannis Artopios said that as of early Sunday afternoon, 266 firefighters and 49 engines were operating on the ground, together with hundreds of volunteers. Ten firefighting planes, including two from France, two from Turkey and one from Croatia, are operating in the area, as well as eight helicopters.
There are substantial reinforcements from the European Union.
“Over 450 firefighters and seven aeroplanes from the EU have been operating in Greece as fires sprout across the country,” EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Janez Lenarcic tweeted early Sunday afternoon. 219
