Extreme drought causes wildfires in northern Athens
North of Athens, a major fire is raging. Smoke plumes rose and reached the Greek capital. A spokesperson for the fire department told Greek radio: "The flames are rising more than 25 meters high." 19 firefighting aircraft and around 500 firefighters are in action in the region around the small town of Varnavas.
The civil defense urged residents of the affected region to leave their homes via SMS. The major fire is raging about 30 kilometers north of the capital. Some people suffered smoke inhalation and were taken to hospitals, Greek media reported. Tourist facilities were initially not threatened, it was reported further.
Meteorologists and civil defense had warned repeatedly over the weekend: Due to the extreme dryness and the strong winds currently around the Aegean, the smallest fire could become a major fire in just a few minutes. Civil defense published a map showing that the highest level of fire danger is prevailing in the region around Athens and in large parts of Central Greece.
The major fire is causing concern, as it's situated approximately 30 kilometers north of Athens' bustling city center. Efforts to contain the fire are being made in the vicinity of Varnavas, which is located in the northern region.
