Torrential rains follow wildfires in Greece

Reuters reported today that torrential rains have flooded homes, businesses, and roads in Greece — with at least one death reported after a man died when a wall collapsed, according to fire officials on Tuesday.

The Guardian reported that Greece has been stricken by hundreds of wildfires this summer, with dozens of new fires starting each day. Most are controlled quickly but some have exceeded fire services’ capacity. One fire in the northeast has destroyed homes and vast tracts of forest since it took off on August 19.

Another fire on the island of Rhodes burned for days in July, forcing holidaymakers and locals to evacuate homes and hotels.

Storm Daniel has battered much of Greece since Monday, with  hundreds of calls to emergency services to pump out water just days after a deadly wildfire that has burned for more than two weeks in the north was finally controlled.

Meanwhile, videos posted online on August 23 show Greek members of the political extreme right illegally “arresting” migrants in Evros, a Greek region that borders Turkey. The videos show militants forcing men to sit in the dirt while other migrants were crammed into a trailer. The attackers accuse the migrants of being responsible for the widespread fires in the region.

Aerial photos of wildfires in Chile

These photos were taken by the crew of the 747 Supertanker that is working out of Santiago, Chile. All of the pictures were shot at a fire south of Matanzas that burned about 19,000 hectares.

A Russian-made IL-76 air tanker takes off at Santiago, Chile. Photo by crew of the 747.
An IL-76 makes a drop on a wildfire south of Matanzas, Chile, February 1, 2017. Photo by the crew of Global Supertanker.
A Chilean military CASA lead plane flies ahead of the 747 Supertanker. Photo by crew of the 747.

The photo below is not exactly an aerial photo, except it was taken from the cockpit of the 747 Supertanker, which is pretty far above the ground even when parked on the ramp!

A Russian-made IL-76 air tanker on the Santiago ramp. Photo by crew of the 747.