Fire department battles extensive forest fire near the Greek capital
Near Athens, the Greek capital, a forest fire has reportedly broken out and threatens to spread to houses due to strong winds. According to the ANA news agency, the fire started in the region of Keratea, about 20 kilometers south of Athens. Approximately 140 firefighters were reportedly battling the flames with numerous vehicles and several aircraft. ERT-News reported that at least three houses had been destroyed by the fire.
Residents in six nearby areas were called upon to evacuate their homes and apartments. A forest fire had also broken out in the same region on Saturday, which was eventually brought under control.
A widespread forest fire was raging on the island of Serifos, according to Mayor Konstantinos Revintis, who stated on Mega TV that houses, huts, warehouses, and chapels had been damaged. "The southwest of Serifos has completely burned down," he said. The fire was brought under control by the fire department early on Sunday morning.
On Saturday, more than 40 forest fires were reported in Greece. The Ministry of Civil Protection warned for Sunday for the Attica region with Athens as its capital, the Peloponnese peninsula, the island of Crete, the northern and southern Aegean regions, and central Greece of a very high fire danger of category 4.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called on people in his weekly online media contribution to prepare for a challenging forest fire season. "Difficult times lie ahead," it read. The country had already faced this year with the warmest winter and an unusually early heatwave with temperatures reaching up to 44 degrees Celsius.
Last year, 20 people lost their lives in forest fires in Greece. The National Observatory of Athens reported that the flames destroyed nearly 175,000 hectares of forest and agricultural land.
The capital city of Greece, Athens, is home to the fire department, who are actively working to contain the raging forest fire in Keratea, its suburbs. The fire department's efforts are crucial as the flames threaten to reach residential areas due to strong winds.
