Wildfires erupt near Athens amid Greece’s heatwave, resulting in the evacuation of 1,200 children from a seaside resort, as firefighters contend with strong winds. The Mediterranean region encounters blistering temperatures during this ongoing heatwave.
Firefighters said that wildfires broke out near Athens on Monday as a heatwave grips Greece, with 1,200 children evacuated outside a seaside resort.
The first blaze started in Kouvaras, 50 kilometers (30 miles) southeast of Athens.
“It’s a difficult fire. The winds are really strong” with gusts reaching up to 60 kilometers (37 miles) per hour,” said Yannis Artopios, a firefighters’ spokesman.
Greece, Italy, and Spain have been gripped by a heatwave since last week, with temperatures reaching 44 degrees Celsius (111 degrees Fahrenheit) in the country’s center.
The domestic press agency ANA said a forest fire had also flared in strong winds near the Isthmus of Corinth, close to the popular beach town of Loutraki.
Local media reported that seven water-bombing aircraft, four helicopters, and 150 firemen backed by colleagues from Romania were fighting the flames on two fronts.
The blaze burnt quickly through brush and spread south toward the Attica region and the resorts of Lagonissi, Anavyssos, and Saronida.
According to footage by public broadcaster ERT, several homes were burned in the area, and an equestrian center was evacuated.
In Athens, where the mercury hit 39C on Saturday, the Acropolis, one of Greece’s top tourist attractions, closed during the hottest hours for three consecutive days to Sunday.
Temperatures are forecast to drop in Greece some 2C-4C by Wednesday, with a new heatwave to follow from Thursday and local highs of 43C, according to the EMY national weather service.
Greek police on Monday arrested a man suspected of starting an ongoing wildfire near Athens fuelled by a heatwave and strong winds, firefighters said.
Miroslava Salazar with AFP
