KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: The Western United States doesn't have a monopoly on wildfires. In Europe, firefighters and residents struggle side by side to contain a rash of wildfires that have claimed lives and destroyed many homes. CNN's Glenn Van Sutfin has the story.</s>GLENN VAN SUTFIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The hottest spots in Europe this summer are not in Paris or London. The really hot spots are in the Balkans, Spain, in Corsica and in Greece. In those places, fires fanned by high winds and extreme temperatures are scorching thousands of hectares of woodlands. More than 3,500 hectares on the island of Corsica have gone up in smoke. French authorities believe arsonists are behind many of the fires since they started virtually at the same time. One man has been taken into custody on suspicion of lighting at least one of them. Even help from above did little to stop the inferno that has raged for days. More than a quarter of a scenic woodland in Visavona (ph) has been torched. Officials say the area, which was considered one of the island's most scenic spots, is now an ecological disaster. But the destruction is not limited to Corsica. In southern Spain's Soria (ph) Province, firefighters and local residents are battling flames that have already scorched several thousand hectares. The blazes are so intense that satellites over the Mediterranean can detect their smoke. Seven people died in Greece after a fire swept into the country over its northwestern border with Albania. Isolated hilltop villages in the area suffered the most damage, but the flames are still threatening other areas, as well. Since May, Greek firefighters have battled hundreds of fires. Many fear the flames devouring Europe will not be doused until autumn rains arrive. Glenn Van Sutfin, CNN.
European Firefighters Struggle to Battle Rash of Wildfires