Villagers were ordered to leave their homes and hundreds of children were evacuated from a summer camp as two separate wildfires fanned by strong winds damaged houses to the southeast and west of Athens on Monday, authorities said.
The blaze that broke out in the village of Kouvaras, about 27 km southeast of the Greek capital, spread fast amid erratic winds, a Greek fire service official said.
"Due to high winds, the blaze spread across 12 kilometres in two hours," Greek Fire Service spokesman Ioannis Artopoios told a televised briefing, adding that police had detained a person suspected of arson. Around 1,200 children in a summer camp and the residents of a rehabilitation centre were evacuated due to another wildfire burning close to the seaside resort of Loutraki, about 50 miles west of Athens, a local mayor told Greek television.
Authorities said they were battling 81 blazes in total across the country on Monday, with the biggest fronts near Athens, and were bracing for more fires on Tuesday due to soaring temperatures and strong winds.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Wildfire rages southeast of Greek capital, villagers told to evacuateVillagers were ordered to leave their homes southeast of Athens on Monday as a wildfire fanned by strong winds burned vegetation nearby, authorities said.
Read more »
Wildfires in Spain's La Palma island forces evacuations as heatwave grips EuropeAt least 2,000 people have been evacuated as a forest fire burned out of control in the Spanish island of La Palma, authorities said on Saturday, as Europe was gripped by a heatwave.
Read more »
How Microgrids Can Help Communities Adapt To Wildfires - CleanTechnicaMicrogrids are a cost-effective way to provide electricity to local communities during emergencies such as wildfires.
Read more »
4 separate wildfires in Riverside County burn more than 8,000 acresBREAKING The Rabbit Fire in Riverside County has now burned 7,600 acres and is 5% contained. The fourth wildfire in the county, the Gavilan Fire, is now burning at least 150 acres and causing evacuation orders.
Read more »
When El Niño exacerbates global warming: Record heat, record flooding, record wildfiresCanada is in a record wildfire season, Vermont is rebuilding after catastrophic floods, June was the hottest June in 174-years long records kept by NOAA.
Read more »
Air quality Chicago: More Canadian wildfires send plume of unhealthy smoke into the US yet againA recent outbreak of wildfires in western Canada is again sending a plume of unhealthy smoke into the United States.
Read more »