Wildfires burned for a third day west of the Greek capital Athens on Wednesday, destroying forests and homes and spurring evacuations, as authorities braced for a new heatwave that was likely to further stoke tinderbox conditions across the country.
At first light, air water bombers resumed operations over the towns of Mandra, west of Athens, and Loutraki, close to the Corinth canal which separates mainland Greece from the Peloponnese.
Flames kept roaring back to life as winds constantly changed direction, and thick smoke blanketed the wider area, state ERT TV said. Authorities ordered the evacuation of three areas, telling residents to head to the town of Megara. Dozens of homes were gutted and hundreds forced to flee towering flames which seared through hamlets on Tuesday.Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited the national operations' centre to be briefed over the fires.
The blaze, which broke out on Monday in the region of Dervenochoria, about 30 km north of Athens, spread rapidly as it was fanned by winds and reached Mandra on Tuesday, burning houses and forcing people to flee. "Everything outside was burned, thank God the house itself did not catch fire," said Elpida Paroutsidi, whose home she shares with husband Abbram suffered extensive external damage.
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.
Firefighters battle wildfires surrounding Athens as second heat wave hits the Mediterranean countryNew evacuations have been ordered as wildfires raged near the Greek Capital after a second heat wave hit the Mediterranean country from the west following days of record-high temperatures baked southern Europe.
Read more »
Wildfires burn homes near Greek capital, residents fleeVillagers 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.
Read more »
Wildfires force thousands to flee seaside resorts outside Greek capitalOfficials issue evacuation orders for at least six seaside communities as two major wildfires edge closer to summer resort towns and gusts of wind hit 70 kilometres per hour.
Read more »
Wildfires continue in Greece as EU allies send aidWildfires burned for a third day west of the Greek capital Athens on Wednesday, as authorities braced for a new heatwave stoking tinderbox conditions across the country.
Read more »
Wildfire burns forests north of Athens, fires weaken in southeast and westA wildfire intensified overnight and swept along forests north of Athens for a second day on Tuesday, authorities said, as fire fighters managed to contain other blazes southeast and west of the Greek capital.
Read more »