Wildfires Unleash Chaos in Southern Europe Hundreds of thousands of people are fleeing their homes in southern Europe, forced by raging wildfires that have consumed large swaths of forest and scrubland.
The scenes from France and Spain are apocalyptic: cars speeding away from the flames, families huddled together on boats, desperate for escape – all set against a backdrop of smoke shrouded skies and an eerie silence.
The fires themselves are no surprise. Climate change has fueled record breaking heat waves across Europe this year, creating conditions ripe for these infernos to erupt. The consequences, however, are unpredictable.