Overview

• Over 1,000 firefighters and helpers are fighting simultaneous wildfires across eastern Germany that have burned more than 5,200 hectares, marking the worst season on record.
• The Gohrischheide wildfire has breached over 500 hectares of former munition grounds, remains uncontrolled with more than 600 personnel deployed and has led to multiple village evacuations.
• Firefighters held the Saalfelder Höhe blaze overnight, preventing further spread of one of Thuringia’s largest wildfires in 30 years with around 500 personnel and up to four helicopters.
• Authorities in Dresden have prohibited leaving designated forest paths and parking off marked areas through September at high danger levels, and Upper Franconia has scheduled aerial surveillance flights following a DWD level-4 warning.
• Fire crews in Greece and Turkey continue to battle new blazes under extreme heat and wind, with several fatalities reported and thousands evacuated from Izmir, Hatay and areas near Athens.