Blazes in France, Portugal, Greece and Spain have forced evacuations, closed roads and threatened tourist areas as authorities warn extreme heat could keep fueling fires across the continentDevastating wildfires are continuing to spread across parts of Europe, forcing evacuations in popular holiday regions as authorities warn that extreme heat could fuel further blazes.Fires have torn through forests and open areas in France, Spain, Greece and Portugal during a severe heatwave, with temperatures expected to reach 44°C in some areas.GalleryEurope Greece wildfire Thessaloniki suburbs (Photo: Sakis Mitrolidis / AFP)In France, experts warned of a “very high risk of forest fires” as parts of the country continued to suffer from the effects of last week’s hot spell.Cycling fans were urged not to attend the final stage of the Tour de France as wildfires burned near the route in the eastern Pyrenees. Around 70 kilometers from Les Angles, about 700 firefighters battled a blaze that forced the closure of a long section of the D66 road, which had been scheduled to form part of the course.(Photo: REUTERS/Alexandros Avramidis)In northern Portugal, more than 1,000 firefighters, 380 trucks and eight aircraft were deployed to contain a forest fire in the Viseu district.The blaze has burned through about 10,000 hectares since Wednesday as the country continues to face sweltering conditions. Nine people have been injured, including two civilians who are in serious condition. Temperatures in some Portuguese regions are expected to reach 44°C.Portugal (Photo: Miguel Riopa/ AFP)In Greece, a major wildfire broke out in Oreokastro, near Thessaloniki, prompting evacuation orders for residents in three small suburbs.The fire started in a ravine at around 8:30 p.m. Saturday and quickly spread toward the plains, burning mostly through brush. Images from the area showed firefighters battling flames through the night as fires consumed trees and bushes.Europe France weather wildfire near Nîmes (צילום: Matthieu RONDEL / AFP)Local fire authorities said several businesses were damaged. A facility housing 157 people with special needs was also evacuated. About 120 residents who could walk were sheltered in a gym, while the others were moved to a psychiatric hospital, local authorities said.Additional fires were reported around Thessaloniki on Saturday, including in the Halkidiki Peninsula, a popular holiday destination, and near the northern city of Kilkis.אירופה צרפת מזג אוויר שריפה ליד נים(Photo: Agnès Pedrero/ AFP)In Spain, Catalan authorities warned firefighters were “expecting a complicated day” after a fire broke out near the Costa Brava. The flames were later described as stabilized, but not before burning more than 2,000 hectares.High-risk alerts were also issued for Tenerife and Gran Canaria from Sunday because of soaring temperatures. Authorities said temperatures in the Canary Islands could rise to 37°C, with the heatwave expected to last for several days.Europe Portugal weather wildfire near São João do Monte Italian firefighting plane (Photo: Miguel Riopa/ AFP)Footage from across Europe showed multiple blazes breaking out over the past several days, as firefighters raced to contain flames near residential areas, tourist sites and major roads.Authorities across affected countries warned that dry conditions, high winds and persistent heat could allow fires to spread further in the coming days.Comments