Forest fire situation improves in France, Spain; remains tense in Greece, Turkey

The situation with forest fires is easing in France and Spain, though Greece and Turkey continue to battle difficult conditions. In France, residents have begun returning home along the Atlantic coast after widespread evacuations, with 144,000 people now back in their houses out of a total of 224,000 previously displaced.

Spain has reported that most of its forest fires are now under control, leading to the lifting of many evacuation orders and movement restrictions. This marks a significant improvement in the Iberian Peninsula, though vigilance remains necessary.

Greece is still contending with numerous blazes, particularly on the island of Crete, where strong winds are hampering firefighting efforts. Approximately 8,000 people were evacuated from the resort town of Agia Galini and surrounding areas due to smoke or as a precautionary measure.

In Turkey, the situation remains tense in the southern and western parts of the country. As of Thursday evening, 163 out of 169 forest fires that had been burning since Wednesday had been brought under control. Fires in the Kaş district of Antalya and the city of Isparta have been contained. Firefighting efforts in Turkey involved aircraft, helicopters, and a large contingent of ground personnel. Both Greece and Turkey are facing challenges from drought, heat, and wind, exacerbating the fire conditions.