Greece discovers 18 charred bodies as southern Europe wildfires spread

Flames burn a tree as a wildfire rages in Alexandroupolis, on the region of Evros, Greece, August 22, 2023. REUTERS/Alexandros Avramidis

ALEXANDROUPOLIS, Greece (Reuters) - Eighteen charred bodies were found in a remote village in northeastern Greece on Tuesday where wildfires have been raging for days, authorities said, as a heatwave that has seen red alerts issued across southern Europe turned deadly.

Firefighters said they were investigating whether the bodies, found near a shack south of the village of Avantas, were migrants. The surrounding Evros region is a popular route for migrants from the Middle East and Asia crossing from Turkey.