Greece on high alert as ‘extremely dangerous’ wildfires rage out of control on Athens outskirts

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — A large forest fire has burned out of control. In the northern suburbs of Athens Strong winds on Monday forced the evacuation of several areas, as the high winds hampered the efforts of hundreds of firefighters and dozens of water-dropping aircraft.

The fast-spreading fire sent flames more than 25 metres (80 feet) high, prompting Greece to ask for help from other countries, triggering Europe’s mutual civil protection mechanism.

The fire broke out on Sunday afternoon about 35 kilometers (22 miles) northeast of Athens, burning several homes and shops and sending a cloud of smoke and ash over the city center. Power was cut in parts of the Greek capital and traffic lights at major intersections were affected.

Authorities said 15 people were injured, most from smoke inhalation, as the fire reached remote parts of a suburb about 15 kilometers (9 miles) from the city center. Greece’s National Observatory said late Monday that satellite images showed the fire had affected about 10,000 hectares (25,000 acres).

Officials said France would provide a helicopter, Italy would send two firefighting planes and the Czech Republic would send 75 firefighters and 25 vehicles, while Serbia and Romania were also preparing to provide aid. Neighbouring Turkey would send two firefighting planes and a helicopter, the foreign ministry said, while Spain was also finalising reinforcements to send to Greece.

The fire spread through the pine forests that had become dry due to Heat waves are frequent this summer.June and July were the hottest months on record in Greece, which also recorded its warmest winter on record. The early start of the fire season this year has strained Greece’s firefighting forces.

“Firefighters have been working at full capacity for months and they are exhausted,” said Nikos Lavranos, head of Greece’s main firefighters’ union.

“The fire is very serious, we have been fighting it for more than 20 hours in dramatic conditions,” Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Vassilis Kikilias said on Monday, adding that some areas of the blaze on a mountain northeast of Athens were particularly difficult to access.

Three hospitals, including a children’s hospital, two monasteries and a children’s home were evacuated Monday afternoon. Cell phones in the area received at least 30 alerts warning people to flee.

“The wind was blowing one way and then the other. The smoke was suffocating. You couldn’t see. Your eyes were watering. You couldn’t breathe,” said Spiros Gorilas, a resident of Dioni, who poured water on his house to save it from the flames.

“Even the helicopter that dropped the water couldn’t see it, they just heard its sound,” he added.

Evacuation orders were issued for more Athens suburbs through Monday. Fire department spokesman Colonel Vasileios Vathrakogiannis said dozens of fires were burning in areas where the flames had calmed down somewhat earlier.

More than 700 firefighters, backed by 27 special firefighting teams and members of the armed forces, were involved in putting out the fire. More than 190 vehicles were deployed, with air support from 17 water-dropping planes and 16 helicopters.

Three hospitals in Athens were on high alert, Vathrakogiannis said, while paramedics and ambulances treated two firefighters – one with minor burns and another with breathing problems – and 13 civilians with breathing problems. The Athens Doctors Association warned the chronically ill, the elderly, pregnant women, children and those with respiratory and heart problems to be extra vigilant.

The Greek coast guard has diverted all ferries from a nearby port serving several Aegean islands to another port. Gyms and hotels have been turned into evacuation centers.

Police said 380 officers assisted in the evacuations, helping move more than 250 people out of the path of the flames. Police posted a video on social media showing officers carrying elderly people from their homes to waiting cars against a backdrop of a red night sky.

Authorities said some people who refused to leave their homes later became trapped and needed to be rescued, putting the lives of firefighters at risk. The affected areas are home to thousands of residents, but authorities said it was unclear how many at the height of the summer holiday season.

Meteorologists have warned of an increased risk of wildfires due to weather conditions from Sunday to Thursday, with half the country placed on maximum wildfire alert.

Dozens of other wildfires broke out in several parts of Greece on Monday.

Wildfires are common in the Mediterranean country during the hot, dry summers, but authorities say climate change is fueling bigger and more frequent blazes.

In 2018, A massive fire broke out in the coastal town of Mati.The fires have trapped people in their homes and on the roads as they try to escape in their cars. More than 100 people have died, including some who drowned while trying to swim to escape the flames.

Last year, forest fires in Greece killed more than 20 people, including 18 migrants trapped in fire While they were hiking through the forest in northeastern Greece, they were struck by a massive fire that had been raging for more than two weeks.

Forest fires also hit neighboring North Macedonia and Albania on Monday, which have experienced high summer temperatures and strong winds.

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Associated Press journalists Lefteris Pitarakis in Dioni, Greece, Derek Gatopoulos in Athens, Greece, and Elise Morton in London contributed to this report.