Wildfires tore through parts of Europe on Friday as another wave of record-breaking heat left forests tinder-dry, forcing evacuations in France, Germany, Croatia and Greece and putting firefighters under growing pressure.
France was among the hardest hit, with a new blaze racing through the pine forests of the southwestern Landes region and forcing 525 people to leave their homes in the village of Luglon. About 500 firefighters, backed by six aircraft, were battling the flames, regional officials said.
The fire had burned about 1,100 hectares (2,700 acres) by Friday and advanced to within 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) of Luglon's center, regional official Gilles Clavreul said. Roads north and south of the village were closed as authorities moved residents to safety.
"The situation is unfavorable," Clavreul told reporters.
The Landes region has been repeatedly battered by wildfires this summer. Nearby areas around Arcachon Bay were devastated by two major fires in late July that burned more than 50,000 hectares (124,000 acres) and prompted the evacuation of as many as 220,000 people.
