Greece wildfires: Marathon residents told to flee as heatwave persists

Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Vassilis Kikilias has warned that the extremely dangerous weather will continue. Greece has just experienced its hottest June and July on record. In the record., external

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis returned to Athens on Sunday after cutting short his vacation to deal with the crisis.

In Varnavas, a massive fire that broke out on Sunday afternoon had burned 100 square kilometres of land by 19:00 GMT.

Residents of Varnavas and Grammatico were instructed to evacuate in a message from the national emergency number.

Residents of the historic city of Marathon were ordered to evacuate and head towards the coastal city of Nea Makri.

The fire quickly spread to a massive size due to strong winds, fire department spokesman Vassilis Vathrakogiannis said. up to 8 Beaufort, external (39-46 mph).

“We appeal to all residents of the area. For their safety and because the fire is advancing rapidly, it is essential that they follow the instructions of the authorities,” Mr Vathrakogiannis said.

He added, “The fire is currently advancing towards Lake Marathon, with the forces against it constantly being reinforced, focusing on the sides and dealing with the flames that in some cases reach a height of more than 25 metres.”

A force of 165 firefighters, nine foot teams, 30 vehicles, seven firefighting aircraft and five helicopters were deployed to extinguish the fire.

Strong winds have greatly hampered the work of firefighting aircraft participating in the operation, with the firefighting operation expected to continue throughout the night as the winds are expected to remain very strong.

Medical centers and hospitals in Athens remained on alert Sunday evening. A cloud of brown smoke covered parts of the capital.