Greek wildfires spread as firefighters battle flames near Athens

The Greek fire brigade reported on Sunday evening that the fire near Warnavas, 22 miles north of Athens, is spreading and remains dangerous. Over 300 firefighters are on site, and the battle against the blaze will continue into the night.

On Sunday, two large fires broke out near Athens. One of them, near Megara to the west of the capital, has already been brought under control.

The fire spreading around Warnavas is heading towards Lake Marathon, which supplies drinking water to Athens. Flames are as high as 82 feet. Thick smoke has covered the sky over the city, and residents of several surrounding villages have been called to evacuate.

Enhanced drought, high temperatures, and strong winds reaching over Force 7 on the Beaufort scale significantly complicate the rescue operation, as reported by the AMNA agency. Firefighting efforts have included 26 planes and helicopters.

Meanwhile, according to the Protothema portal, fires have also engulfed the forested area near the village of Filiates, bordering Albania. Firefighting efforts in this region are difficult due to the presence of a minefield, meaning that the operation is mainly conducted from the air.

In the current situation in Greece, the Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, Vasilis Kikilias, has warned about a tough week ahead for the country. He announced that half of Greece's territory will be at very high risk of wildfires.

The fire brigade states that in the last 24 hours, 40 fires have broken out in Greece, 33 of which have been brought under control.