Greece is currently battling multiple wildfires, particularly close to Athens, as a heatwave continues for the sixth day, with temperatures reaching up to 46 degrees Celsius.
One of the most critical fire sites is in Drusobighi, located about 30 minutes from central Athens, according to the firefighting agency.
Authorities have sent evacuation alerts to residents’ mobile phones.
A house has reportedly burned down in the area, as stated by the national television channel, while winds of 5 to 6 on the Beaufort scale are complicating efforts to control the flames.
In total, 102 firefighters, three ground teams, 36 vehicles, two planes, and three helicopters are engaged in combating the fires in this region, as reported by the Athens news agency.
On the nearby island of Evia, a wildfire is still out of control. Two firefighters were hospitalized after suffering minor injuries.
On Saturday morning, another fire broke out on the island of Kythira, located in the southern Peloponnese, which is also currently uncontained.
Winds of up to 6 on the Beaufort scale have accelerated the spread of the flames, prompting evacuations from several areas.
To reinforce local teams, 16 firefighters and six vehicles were transported by sea.
In the Peloponnese region, a fire ignited around 12:08 in Kryoneri, Messinia, quickly spreading through the area.
On Saturday, Greek authorities placed several areas on high alert due to the severe risk posed by the fires.
The heatwave that began on Monday is expected to persist until Monday, according to meteorological reports.
On Friday, temperatures reached 46 degrees in some parts of Greece and 42 degrees in the capital, Athens.
On Saturday, the highest temperature recorded in western Greece was 45.2 degrees Celsius in Amfilochia, according to the national observatory’s website.
Greece, a Mediterranean country, frequently experiences heatwaves and devastating wildfires every summer.