Fast-moving fires outside Athens forced residents from their homes on Sunday, as hot and strong winds burned trees, houses and cars and sent a cloud of smoke over the Greek capital.
More than 400 firefighters, assisted by 16 water-bombing aircraft and 13 helicopters, battled the blaze, which broke out at about 3pm (noon GMT) and soon spread to the village of Varnavas, 35km (20 miles) north of Athens.
As night fell, firefighting planes suspended their work until morning. The flames turned the sky orange.
“The situation remains dangerous as the fire is spreading between houses,” fire department spokesman Vassilis Vathrakogiannis said.
He said the fire spread “like lightning” because of strong winds. Flames up to 25 metres high engulfed trees and bushes.
Varnavas is a sparsely populated area, with about 1,800 inhabitants, according to the latest census.
“In no time the village was engulfed. There was a very strong wind,” local resident Katerina Filkatou told Reuters. “It started from one point and suddenly the whole village was engulfed.”
Hundreds of wildfires have broken out in Greece since May, and scientists blame their frequency and intensity on increasing heat and dry weather conditions linked to climate change.
Following the hottest winter on record and a long period of little or no rainfall, Greece also recorded its hottest June and July and is forecast to have its hottest summer ever.
“We expect a very difficult week,” said Costas Lagouvardos, research director at the Athens Observatory. “If the Varnavas fire is not brought under control during the night, we will face a problem tomorrow,” he added.
Fires have also raged amid searing heat elsewhere in Europe this summer, including Spain and the Balkans.
‘Dangerous conditions’
Authorities sent out evacuation alerts for nine neighborhoods near Varnavas. By evening, thick gray smoke covered much of Athens and reached as far south as the island of Aegina.
Another fire in a forest area near the town of Megara, west of Athens, was brought under control by Sunday afternoon, the fire department said.
Several other regions in Greece were on high alert for fire danger on Sunday and Monday.
On Saturday, Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Vassilis Kikilias said he had called for emergency measures involving the army, police and volunteers to tackle the wildfires by August 15.
“Extremely high temperatures and dangerous weather conditions will persist,” he said.
“Half of Greece will go into deficit.”