Wildfires force evacuations across Europe amid record heat

Wildfires are raging across Europe, forcing thousands to evacuate their homes and flee to safety as record-breaking heat and drought fuel the blazes. Officials have warned of "very extreme" wildfire conditions stretching across the continent.

In Croatia, a wildfire engulfed homes overnight near the picturesque resort town of Omis on the Dalmatian coast. The blaze killed one person and injured 40, with seven in serious condition, according to hospital reports. Approximately 1,200 residents and tourists were evacuated from the area. Firefighters battled the flames, which turned the night sky red, but the fire appeared to have calmed by Friday morning.

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The flames were licking both sides of the road. When I got a little further around the bend and looked, I saw flames shooting up from under my hood. The car was on fire!

Similar scenes unfolded in Greece, where over 300 people were evacuated by boat from the seaside town of Siviri on the Kassandra peninsula. Tourists were among those rescued as fires consumed a nearby forest. In southwestern France, hundreds were also evacuated from a village. England saw multiple homes lost in Stourbridge after a grass fire spread rapidly on the country's hottest day of the year.

Scientists attribute the extreme weather conditions, including prolonged heatwaves and drought, to climate change. These factors have created tinderbox conditions, making large-scale wildfires more likely across regions like France, Spain, Greece, and the Balkans.

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I heard a scream, and all the trees along the railway track were exploding. They weren't just setting fire, they were exploding.