Portugal firefighter killed in bulldozer accident as wildfires rage across Europe

A man working with a firefighting firm was tragically killed in Portugal after being run over by his own bulldozer while battling flames. He reportedly fell while trying to retaliate against the fire.

The death brings Portugal’s wildfire toll to three, with at least 15 others injured as emergency services continue to battle blazes that have displaced communities and stretched more than 3,700 firefighters across the country.

Wildfires across Europe

Neighboring Spain has also been overwhelmed, losing more than 235,000 hectares of land to flames. The Spanish government appealed for international help, marking what Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called the largest-ever deployment of European Union firefighters.

“What is happening in Spain is probably the largest deployment in the history of the European civil protection mechanism,” Sánchez said.

In Greece, authorities were forced to evacuate thousands after 152 new fires erupted in a single day, mobilizing nearly 5,000 responders. Officials warned the public that more severe conditions are expected in the coming days.

Meanwhile, Italy earlier banned outdoor work nationwide in anticipation of the intense heatwaves sweeping the region.

Climate change impact

Extreme heatwaves are fueling the devastation, with temperatures soaring above 44°C in parts of southern Europe, according to Meteo France and other weather agencies.

Experts say these intense heatwaves and record wildfires are tied to the worsening effects of climate change, which is making Europe’s summers longer, hotter, and increasingly deadly.