Three firefighters have died while battling wildfires in Greece, marking a tragic escalation in the ongoing crisis across Southern Europe.
The fatalities occurred on Wednesday as crews attempted to contain blazes on the island of Crete, where two of the victims were trapped by advancing flames.
The deaths highlight the extreme danger faced by emergency personnel as the region grapples with difficult-to-control fires amid persistent heatwaves.
The situation in Greece is part of a broader pattern of severe wildfires affecting the Mediterranean basin.
In France, authorities are managing what has been described as the nation's most significant forest fire to date.
The scale of the emergency has prompted a massive response, with thousands of volunteers joining professional firefighters to help contain the blazes.