Forest fires in Europe leave dead in Greece and Italy

Serious fires in southern Europe 1:31

(CNN) -

Greece and Italy have recorded the first deaths caused by the forest fires raging in parts of southern Europe.

In Greece, a 38-year-old man died after being struck by a falling power tower in an area near the Greek capital Athens, where emergency services have been fighting severe forest fires, the General Hospital said on Friday. from Athens KAT, where he was treated.

The man, a resident of the Ippokrateios Politeia suburb on the outskirts of the city, received a head injury when the power pole fell on him, the hospital said.

Firefighters have been fighting to contain dozens of fires near the Greek capital, which have forced thousands to flee their homes.

At least nine people have been treated at the hospital, but no deaths have been reported prior to Friday's incident.

• This above-average wildfire season is projected to continue into September, or perhaps longer

A helicopter attempts to put out a fire in the area near Agios Stefanos, north of Athens on August 6, 2021. (Credit: LOUISA GOULIAMAKI / AFP via Getty Images)

Forest fires in Italy

Southern Italy has also been hit by high temperatures and wildfires this week.

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Two people died on Friday in Calabria, southern Italy, as fires continue across the region.

The Italian fire agency tweeted on Friday that an intervention is underway due to a forest fire in the municipality of San Lorenzo, near the city of Reggio Calabria, which involved two burning structures, including a barn.

Firefighters said they identified the lifeless bodies of a man and a woman, adding that five firefighting planes are in action in the area.

The two victims are aunt and niece, 53 and 34 years old respectively.

They had gone to his olive grove to try to save him from the fire, the press office of the Carabinieri of Reggio Calabria told CNN.

The fire started Thursday night and is still spreading due to the wind and high temperatures, the press office also said.

According to the most recent map of the Copernicus emergency management service of the European Union Commission, the areas currently most affected by active fires are southern Italy, particularly the regions of Sicily and Calabria;

Albania;

Montenegro;

North Macedonia and the southern part of Serbia.

The North Macedonian government declared a 30-day state of emergency to the forest fires and reported one death on Thursday.

- From Sharon Braithwaite in London, Elinda Labropoulou in Athens and Livia Borghese in Rome.

Europe Forest fires