Athens - Wildfires devastated thousands of acres of forests, farmland and scores of homes throughout the Balkans yesterday, but a cold snap brought out winter coats and umbrellas in northern Europe.
The heatwave in the Balkans has killed at least 26 people and ignited hundreds of forest fires. In Greece, about 150 fires seared an estimated 25,000 acres of land before being brought under control yesterday.
However, after last week's soaring temperatures, it snowed in Italy yesterday while Germany and France enjoyed rain showers. In most parts of France, residents put on sweaters and carried umbrellas as temperatures dipped to five or six degrees below seasonal averages.