Overview

• Spain mourned its third wildfire fatality this week in Castile and León where nearly 6,000 residents were evacuated and France agreed to send two water-bombing aircraft
• Greek authorities say calmer winds have allowed about 600 ground crews and nearly 30 water bombers to gain ground against the blaze edging towards Patras
• Temperatures exceeding 40°C across the Mediterranean continue to fuel dozens of concurrent wildfires in Portugal, Albania, Turkey and the Balkans, straining national firefighting capacities
• The EU Civil Protection Mechanism has coordinated deployments of additional aircraft and ground teams to supplement overstretched local efforts
• Probes into ignition causes have resulted in multiple arrests in Greece and Spain as officials investigate suspected arson, careless burns and faulty infrastructure