Drosopigi, Greece (Reuters) – Firefighters struggled on Saturday to combat forest fires near Athens and throughout Greece, while the Mediterranean country faces this summer’s third wave of heat in the northern hemisphere.
Explosions could be heard while huge clouds of smoke covered the Drosopigi village, 25 km north of Athens, where factories are located with flammable material. Helicopters launched water and 65 firefighters fought the flames, assisted by 26 vehicles and two aircraft.
Two houses caught fire, according to state television ERT, and residents of the neighboring village of Krioni were instructed by the authorities to go towards Athens.
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It is expected that temperatures in Greece reach up to 44th on Saturday, the Greek weather service said.
On Evia Island, 115 firefighters and 24 vehicles were mobilized to delete fires, assisted by six aircraft and seven helicopters, but strong winds were making efforts difficult. Residents of the triada area on the island were instructed to prepare for the case of leaving.
The fire in Evia is the latest in a series of forest fires caused by strong winds and drought conditions this month.
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On Kythera Island, authorities emptied the villages of Aroniadika, Pitsinades and Aryoi. In the Messinia area, west of Athens, inhabitants of the villages of Kryoneri and Sellas were also advised to leave.
These places were on a list of Greek regions on maximum alert for forest fires due to record temperatures and strong winds scheduled for this Saturday.
Tourism is one of Greece’s main sources of income, and fires have been taking place since the high summer holiday season in early July.
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Greece and other Mediterranean countries are in an area nicknamed by “forest fires access point” with common fires during hot and dry summers. These fires have become more destructive in recent years due to rapid climate change.
