MADRID: Wildfires caused by arsonists or thunderstorms and fanned by a heatwave and strong winds wreaked destruction across southern Europe on Wednesday (Aug 13), burning homes and forcing thousands of residents and tourists to flee. Fire has affected nearly 440,000 hectares in the eurozone so far in 2025, double the average for the same period of the year since 2006, according to the EU Science Hub's Joint Research Centre. Flames and dark smoke billowed over a cement factory that was set