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Wildfires have raged across Greece for seven consecutive days, triggering large-scale evacuations, rescue flights for British tourists and warnings from officials that things may yet get worse. While the cause of the blazes has not officially been identified, local authorities have suggested at least some could have been the work of arsonists. But climate science and fire risk specialists say it’s undeniable that rising temperatures and prolonged heatwaves mean the fires in the Mediterranean country have spread faster and burned over larger areas. Why are the wildfires so severe in Greece? Over the past few weeks, forest fires have erupted in several parts of Europe – including Switzerland, Italy, Turkey, Croatia, and Spain – as a heatwave sweeps the continent. But Greece has been the worst hit. According to a government spokesperson, an average of 50 wildfires broke out daily for 12 consecutive days in July, with 64 recorded in one weekend. Dr Matthew Kasoar at Imperial College’s Leverhulme Centre for Wildfires, Environment and Society told The Independent that the tinder-dry conditions would make it easier for them to spread. He said: “Fire risk increases rapidly when there are periods of prolonged hot weather, which allow the soil and vegetation to completely dry out.” “Climate change has increased the severity, frequency, and duration of heatwaves when they occur,” he added, as temperatures on the southern Greek mainland rose as high as 45C (113 degrees Fahrenheit) this month. “A lot of the wildfires we’re seeing in Greece have been in areas with shrubby vegetation,” climate science expert Dr Nigel Arnell said. A study by the University of Florida found that spot fires tend to spread further from their original fire perimeter in areas where woody plants such as shrubs and trees replace herbaceous plants like grasses. Is human-induced climate change responsible for the fires? Cambridge professor Adam Pellegrini, who is an expert in forest ecosystems and climate change, said that one of the best examples of anthropogenic, or human-caused climate change contributing to fire activity comes from the western United States. “A 2016 study looked at the area that was burned in a year in the western forests, as well as weather and aridity condition,” he explained. “The researchers ran a model that simulated climate with and without anthropogenic [greenhouse gas] emissions. “Under these climate simulations, which have uncertainties, they found there was a high likelihood that you wouldn’t see these fires that we see now, without climate change,” Dr Pellegrini continued. The study showed that human-induced climate change contributed to an additional 4.2 million hectares of forest being affected by fire during 1984–2015 – double the forest fire area expected without it. “That was done in the western US but those are the kinds of analyses that are required [for the wildfires in Europe]”, Dr Pellegrini said. “My guess is people will now be trying to do that.” An analysis by the World Weather Attribution network found that the recent heatwaves in Europe and the United States would have been “virtually impossible” without human-caused climate change. According to the study, climate change meant this year’s heatwave in Europe was 2.5C hotter. Are these extreme weather events preventable? The way to reduce the increase in heat and drought, and the frequency with which they occur, is stopping greenhouse gas emissions, Dr Pellegrini said, adding: “That is the number one way to do it.” Better ways to adapt and mitigate the damage from wildfires include controlled burns during a cooler, wetter time of the year. “That way you burn out the fuel for the fires, so if there’s a really hot and dry year, hopefully a forest fire won’t be as intense,” he added. Limitations include the high cost of controlled burns, as well as accessibility issues in remote areas such as Siberia, where forest fires have raged since last year. Another way to reduce fire risk is through animal grazing, Imperial College researcher Oliver Perkins explained. “In fire-prone regions of Spain, goat farmers are paid, not to produce food but, to reduce fire risk by grazing flammable vegetation.” Is there a threat of wildfires in the UK? Dr Kasoar warned that almost every region in the world is facing more intense and more frequent hot weather, and the UK is no exception. “We have seen record-breaking heat and fires in the south of the UK last summer, and with the country’s largest fires being recorded in the last few years,” he added. “Unless we stabilise global temperatures by reducing global emissions to net zero, wildfires will continue to become an ever more present risk here in the UK and across many other parts of the world. Read More Greece fires – live: Tourists in Rhodes and Corfu evacuated as Croatia also battles wildfires Where are the Italy wildfires as temperatures rise to 47.6C on Sicliy? Simon Calder on Greece: Latest travel advice for tourists as wildfires continue to ravage Rhodes and Corfu Where are the Italy wildfires as temperatures rise to 47.6C? Are Greece wildfires caused by climate change? Greece fires: Rhodes and Corfu tourists evacuated as Croatia also battles wildfires

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The Harford County Sheriff’s Office announced on Thursday they have used DNA evidence to identify a potential suspect in the murder of Maryland woman Rachel Morin earlier this month. Colonel William Davis said DNA found at the scene of Morin’s death was analysed by state police, turning up a match with DNA found at the scene of a March home invasion in Los Angeles where a young girl was attacked. “Unfortunately that suspect has not been positively identified, but he did leave behind his DNA,” Colonel Davis said. “Based on the DNA evidence, we consider the individual in the video we received from the Los Angeles Police Department to be the person that murdered Rachel Morin on August 5.” The individual, a shirtless man thought to be in his 20s, was recorded leaving the LA crime scene on a home security camera. The deputy added that despite the match, police still “don’t have a clue where he could be.” “In March he was in California, and here in August he was in Maryland,” the officer said. This is a breaking news story and will be updated with new information.

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The major football tournament of the summer is upon us, with the Women’s World Cup set to take place in Australia and New Zealand. It’s the pinnacle of the women's game, with a bigger spotlight than ever before shone on the best players in the world as millions tune in to watch. Sarina Wiegman’s England side are looking to add the World Cup to their collection after victory in the Euros in 2022, but they’ll have to do so despite a number of injuries to key players in the squad. England fans are still hoping they'll be in the mix as the tournament progresses, and all eyes will be on the final when it eventually takes place on August 20. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter With anticipation higher than ever, we’re taking a moment to look back at some of the greatest moments from tournaments gone by. Here are our selections for the 10 greatest goals scored at the Women’s World Cup over the years, in no particular order. Marta – Brazil vs USA 2007 Brazil Marta Amazing Goal vs USA (World Cup China) www.youtube.com Widely recognised as the finest player in the history of the women’s game, Marta has an incredible 17 goals at world cups – and this is her finest. This solo goal against the USA, one of the most perfect demonstrations of her talent, sees her pick the ball up on the left side of the pitch without many options in front of her. Rather than knock the ball back, she pulls off a ridiculous flick over the defender and cuts past a defender in the box before firing low past the keeper. It’s Brazilian samba at its best, and a clear indicator of just why Marta is so highly regarded in the context of the game’s greats. Carli Lloyd – USA vs Japan 2015 Carli Lloyd hattrick vs japan www.youtube.com Everyone loves a goal from the halfway line, don’t they? Carli Lloyd put the 2015 World Cup final beyond the reach of Japan by scoring a blistering hat-trick in the space of just the first 16 minutes, but it was the long-range third goal that will live longest in the memory. Clearly full of confidence from the first two goals, Lloyd charged forward before thumping the ball into the net from halfway up the pitch. It’s a great goal, made all the more aesthetically pleasing by a despairing dive from the backpedaling keeper. It helped the USA to a commanding 5-2 win, securing the USA their first Women’s World Cup since 1999. Nahomi Kawasumi – Japan vs Sweden, 2011 Kawasumi's goal against Sweden www.youtube.com When you first start watching this clip, you see the ball being rolled out to the centre back, and assume it’s going to be a team goal consisting of patient build-up play and endless passing. Only, it’s not that at all – instead, the ball is played up the pitch direct, before being cut off by the onrushing keeper. It then lands at the feet of Nahomi Kawasumi, who takes one perfect touch, before showing outstanding technique and volleying it high into the vacant net. Hege Riise – Norway vs Germany, 1995 We particularly like this goal because it’s the kind you’d dream about scoring in the playground at school, and there’s a purity about the eagerness to break through the defence with the dribble that we’re really into. Yes, there’s a little luck involved to get past the first defender, but Hege Riise tricked her way past a succession of oncoming challenges before slotting home astutely past the keeper to provide one of the best goals of the Women’s World Cup in the 90s. Erika – Brazil vs Equatorial Guinea 2011 Amazing Goal Érika Cristiano Dos Santos www.youtube.com Perhaps we’re just buying into cliches here, but there’s an exuberance about this goal that feels like it could only have been scored by a Brazilian side. First off, there’s a lovely ball bent out to the winger with the outside of the foot, before some great work out wide. But it’s all about the exquisite touch over the defender’s head from Erika, before unleashing an unstoppable effort into the bottom corner on the volley. Rarely do you see so much showboating at major tournaments. Ingrid Johansson – Sweden vs USA 1991 This is the kind of goal that can be appreciated at any level of football, in any context. After all, what’s not to like about a total thunder b**tard from about 40 yards out? Swedish midfielder Ingrid Johansson unleashed an unstoppable effort against the USA at the 1991 World Cup finals which deserves to be remembered as one of the best ever scored at the finals. There could have been two keepers in goal and they wouldn’t have got a glove on it. Outstanding stuff. Maren Mjelde – Norway vs Germany, 2015 We’ve watched this clip dozens of times now, and we still can’t work out how Norway’s Maren Mjelde manages to get the ball up and over the wall here. The precision it takes to clip the ball perfectly into the postage stamp from all of 12 yards is impressive in itself, and you can almost hear the ball fizzing with spin by the time it goes in. The fact it just clips the bar on its way in somehow makes it all the more pleasing too. Lucy Bronze – England vs Norway, 2019 This thunderous strike from England’s star player Lucy Bronze nearly cut the keeper in half during the Lionesses’ game with Norway back in 2019, such was the force it hit the back of the net with. A simple, but well-worked free-kick routine saw the ball dragged back to an unmarked Bronze on the edge of the area. There, the marauding right-back caught the ball cleanly, first time, thumping it through a wall of players and giving the keeper no chance. Could it be England’s best goal in major tournaments? Quite possibly. Ajara Nchout – Cameroon vs New Zealand 2019 Forwards sending defenders for hotdogs with well-timed cutbacks will always be a pleasing thing to watch – especially if the end result is a goal as good as Ajara Nchout’s effort against New Zealand in 2019. The strike came in stoppage time and was enough to send Cameroon to the Round of 16, and the celebrations show exactly what the goal meant to the entire squad. Mizuho Sakaguchi – Japan vs The Netherlands 2015 As silky as they come, this wonderful effort from Mizuho Sakaguchi captures a snapshot of a team in perfect understanding with one another. An intricate move culminates in a pass being played in square from the left edge of the box. There, Sakaguchi’s teammate steps over the ball, leaving it for her to bend a stunning effort round the defenders and into the corner. Have your say in our news democracy. 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