A forest fire broke out in a northern suburb of Athens, Greece, on Saturday, prompting some residents to evacuate, the local fire department said.
Residents of Kryoneri, located 20 kilometers northeast of the capital, received three SMS notifications asking them to leave their homes and move to safe zones, rescue service representative Vasilis Vatrakoyannis told reporters.
Greek news outlets showed images of burning buildings. A spokesman said: “There are constant reports of damage. We will take stock as soon as the fires are extinguished.”
“The biggest challenges are still ahead,” Mr Vatrakoyannis said, adding that Greece had asked for support from the European Union's civil protection mechanism to receive six firefighting aircraft.
There are 145 firefighters, 44 fire engines, 10 aircraft and seven helicopters at the scene trying to stop the spread of the fire, the cause of which has not yet been determined.
Four ambulances are treating at least five people, mostly elderly, with respiratory problems.
Air temperatures reach or exceed 38°C, and dry weather and strong winds contribute to the spread of the fire.
In such conditions, forest fires “spread very quickly and become dangerous. Such weather conditions are expected to continue in the coming days,” Mr. Vatrakogiannis added.
Firefighters are also battling three other major blazes in the southwest of Greece's two largest islands: Crete to the south and Euboea north of Athens, and on the island of Kythira northwest of Crete.
At least 335 firefighters, 19 aircraft and 13 helicopters are involved in fighting the fire, but they can only operate during daylight hours.
According to the representative, 52 forest fires have occurred in the country in the past 24 hours.
Forest fires, many of them causing serious damage, have become common in Greece in recent years, with several breaking out in the past month.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
