Germany evacuates entire village due to major forest fire

Around 1,800 people have been evacuated from the village of Gey in North Rhine-Westphalia, western Germany, due to a major forest fire.

A fire is burning over an area of around 25 hectares (about 35 football fields) in the immediate vicinity of the village, prompting the evacuation, Caliber.Az reports, citing German media.

The situation in the region remains critical, with a crisis management centre established at the scene.

Authorities reportedly had to use an army tank to clear a path through the forest for rescue crews.

A series of forest fires have recently broken out across Europe amid an ongoing heatwave.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov