Wildfires Scorch Parts of Europe Amid Extreme Heat Wave

A firefighting airplane drops its load on a forest fire raging in the village of Casal da Quinta, outside Leiria, central Portugal, Tuesday, July 12, 2022. Hundreds of firefighters in Portugal continue to battle fires in the center of the country that forced the evacuation of dozens of people from their homes mostly in villages around Santarem, Leiria and Pombal. (AP Photo/Joao Henriques)

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By Associated Press

July 13, 2022 at 12:52 PM UTC

Updated on

July 13, 2022 at 8:43 PM UTC

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Lisbon, Portugal (AP) -- A spate of wildfires is scorching parts of Europe, with firefighters battling blazes in Portugal, Spain, Croatia and southern France on Wednesday amid an unusual heat wave that authorities are linking to climate change.

In Portugal, Civil Protection commander André Fernandes said multiple fires have caused the evacuation of more than 600 people. About 120 people needed medical treatment, with two people — one civilian and one firefighter — suffering serious injuries, Fernandes said.