APTOPIX Greece Extreme Weather Wildfire

Embers smolder inside an olive tree during a wildfire in the Rethymno region on the southern Greek island of Crete, Wednesday, July 29, 2026, where two firefighters died while battling the blaze.

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Some French wildfire evacuees allowed to return home as cooler weather moves in

Some French wildfire evacuees allowed to return home as cooler weather moves in

French authorities are allowing 84,000 evacuees from a massive wildfire in southwest France to return home. The announcement on Thursday marks a positive turn in the battle against the blaze, which has burned an area four times the size of Paris. Over 220,000 people had been forced to flee. Higher humidity and cooler temperatures have raised hopes for relief. Rain is forecast in the region, but not enough to fully extinguish the flames. Firefighters remain fully mobilized. The fires are part of a series of blazes affecting southern Europe, including Spain, Greece, and Turkey.