ROME, Italy – August 13, 2025 – Countries across the Mediterranean are grappling with wildfires that are burning thousands of hectares of forests and homes, claiming lives and displacing tens of thousands of people. High temperatures, exacerbated by climate change, are making it difficult for firefighting crews to contain the blazes in Turkey, Greece, Spain, Italy, France, Cyprus, and Bulgaria.
The cumulative toll stands at 24 people dead and over 65,000 people evacuated across the region.
Casualties and Evacuations by Country
Turkey: Over 50,000 people have been evacuated from Izmir and the surrounding areas since June. Ten emergency responders, including five firefighters and five rescuers, have died in Seyitgazi and Eskişehir.
Greece: An elderly person was killed in Keratea. Thousands of people, including tourists, were evacuated from several locations, including Chios, Crete, Attica, Evia, Kythira, and Messenia.
Spain: A volunteer firefighter lost his life during operations in Castile, where more than 5,000 people were evacuated. High-intensity fires have been reported in Castile y León, Galicia, and Madrid.
Italy: Vesuvius National Park near Naples faced an extraordinary situation, with fires forcing the evacuation of tourists.
