Evacuations in Greece after major forest fire breaks out
More than 180 firefighters, supported by a fleet of 15 aircraft and 12 helicopters, were battling the fast-moving blaze in a pine forest in mountainous terrain west of Athens, officials said.
There were no immediate reports of injuries or deaths as fire crews worked through the night, fanned by gusty winds and a stubborn heatwave that has pushed temperatures to around 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) across much of Greece.
Emergency alerts were sent to residents in affected villages, asking them to leave their homes as flames approached. Agia Kyriaki, Etos Steko, and Imeros Pefkos among the communities evacuated.
Earlier on Tuesday, a firefighting helicopter crashed into the sea while responding to a separate wildfire near Athens. The three crew members were rescued and transferred to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to authorities.
Greece is prone to wildfires during the summer, when hot, dry weather, strong winds, and a changing climate regularly combine to create high fire risks.
The fire department has responded to dozens of wildfires already this season, with officials repeatedly warning that extreme weather and longer droughts are fueling the frequency and intensity of such events. In recent years, deadly blazes have devastated parts of the country.
In 2018, a massive fire swept through the seaside town of Mati, east of Athens, trapping people in homes and on roads as they tried to flee. More than 100 died, including some who drowned while trying to swim away.
On the island of Crete and other areas, thousands of residents and tourists were evacuated from fires earlier this month. Additional communities on the island, including beachfront villages, were also evacuated as the fire advanced, while health officials placed local hospitals on high alert due to smoke inhalation cases among elderly residents.
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