Cumberland Times-News
·Aug 2026
2 Killed When Firefighting Helicopters Collide Near Athens as Europe’s Wildfire Emergency Rages
Two firefighting helicopters collided while battling a wind-driven wildfire west of Athens, killing a Greek crew member and a Danish pilot. The crash highlighted the risks faced by aerial firefighting crews as strong winds fueled evacuations and extensive fires across Greece, France and Spain. France continued containing its major Gironde wildfire, while Spanish fires largely stopped advancing. Officials and climate experts linked increasingly destructive fire conditions to climate change, with European wildfire activity and burned areas reaching severe levels.