ATHENS (AFP) – Greece battled a massive wildfire near Athens for a third day yesterday, with hundreds of European firefighters due to join the effort to contain the deadly blaze that has scorched parts of the capital’s suburbs.
Fuelled by strong winds, Greece’s worst wildfire this year raced across a parched landscape, forcing thousands of people to flee their homes as it wreaked widespread destruction around the Greek capital.
At least one person has died and at least 66 people have been treated for injuries. Two firefighters have also been hurt.
“We are at a better level across the front,” head of the association of Greek firefighter officers Costas Tsigkas told state television ERT early yesterday.
“But conditions again will not be easy. There will be winds from midday onwards” and “every hour that passes will be more difficult”, he said.
The National Observatory said temperatures of up to 38 degrees Celsius are expected in Athens, with winds of up to 39 kilometres per hour.
Some 700 firefighters, backed by 200 fire engines and nine aircraft, were yesterday battling the blaze that broke out on Sunday afternoon in the town of Varnavas, some 35 kilometres northeast of Athens, the fire department said. Fanned by strong winds, it grew to a 30-kilometre-long front line of flames more than 25 metres high in places, according to state TV ERT.
