A FIREFIGHTING plane crashed in southern Greece today as authorities battled fires across the country amid a return of heatwave temperatures.

The crash occurred on the island of Evia. A state television broadcast showed the low-flying aircraft disappearing into a canyon before a fireball was seen moments later. There was no immediate information on the plane’s crew.

A third successive heatwave pushed temperatures back above 40°C across parts of Greece today, following more night-time evacuations from fires that have raged out of control for days.

The latest evacuation orders were issued on the islands of Corfu and Evia, while a blaze on the island of Rhodes continued to move inland, incinerating mountainous forest areas including part of a nature reserve.

On the Italian island of Sicily, Palermo’s international airport temporarily shut down as a wildfire approached.

On the other side of the Mediterranean, wildfires have also been raging across Algeria, where 25 people have been killed, including 10 soldiers trying to bring the flames under control in the face of high winds and scorching heat.

At least 1,500 people have been evacuated, the Interior Ministry said on Monday.

Meanwhile, scientists at Imperial College London said in a study published today that the deadly hot spells in southern Europe, China and the south-western United States all bear the marks of climate change.

The research warns that this month’s temperatures are likely to be the highest reached on Earth in about 120,000 years, making them easily the hottest since human civilisation began.