Hundreds of residents living near a forest area north of Athens were forced to leave their homes after a wildfire reached residential areas.
Greece has been facing what has been described as its worst heatwave for more than three decades.
Athens saw temperatures climb as high as 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit). Forecasters predict they will reach 40 C later on Wednesday.
Fresh fires broke out late on Tuesday as strong winds and blistering heat continued to complicate the efforts of rescue crews.
“It is a large fire, and it will take a lot of work to get this under control,” more excellent Athens regional governor George Patoulis told state-run ERT television.
“People in the area should be on stand-by. We are asking members of the public in the fire-affected areas to keep the windows of their homes closed because the smoke is very dense.”
As of Wednesday morning, authorities reported no serious injuries from the Athens wildfires, which are being linked directly to climate change by government officials.
Greek Civil Protection chief Nikos Hardalias said the fire was “hazardous” and was being exacerbated by strong winds and blistering heat.
“There are crucial hours,” Hardalias said. “Our country is undergoing one of the worst heat waves of the past 40 years.”
“Because the heatwave will continue in the coming days, please avoid any activity that could spark a fire,” he added.
In neighbouring Turkey, the worst fires in at least a decade have engulfed parts of the country, claiming the lives of eight people and forcing hundreds to evacuate in southern areas popular with tourists.
Around 20 villages were evacuated, and 50 people were taken to the hospital.
Three lives were taken in Antalya and 1 in Mugla.
While the origin of the fires is still being investigated, the hot and dry conditions didn’t help.
The fires also led to mass deaths of livestock in rural areas while locals struggled to lead their herds to safety.
Section: World
KeyWords: Wildfire, Greece, Turkey
