Greece forest fire forces evacuations near Athens
A forest fire has devastated several seaside towns east of the Greek capital Athens, damaging homes and prompting dozens of evacuations in a popular tourist destination.
The blaze, near the towns of Palaia Fokaia and Thymari, forced the evacuation of five villages, according to firefighters.
It comes after a fire on Chios - Greece's fifth-largest island - which has destroyed more than 4,000 hectares of land this week.
"Ground and aerial forces are waging an enormous battle against the flames," said fire service spokesperson Vassilis Vathrakogiannis.
He added that around 130 firefighters, as well as volunteers, were battling the blaze, and around a dozen planes and helicopters had been deployed.
"This is a difficult fire fuelled by strong winds," another fire service official said.
President of the firefighters' union Kostas Tsiguas said that at least 50 people had been moved from the area.
Temperatures reached up to 40C in the Athens region, with forecasts indicating that the heatwave could continue until Saturday.
In the past 24 hours, 45 fires had broken out in Greece, firefighters said.
In Athens, police closed off the main coastal avenue that connects the capital to Cape Sounion, near the fire area.
The region is popular among foreigners and Greek tourists. Many Athenians own second homes or holiday in the area.
Deputy mayor of Palaia Fokaia, Stavros Petropoulos, described the situation as "dramatic".
"Residents told us the fire started because of a spark from a faulty electric cable," he told national television.
Greece has become particularly vulnerable in recent years to fires in summer fuelled by strong winds, drought and high temperatures linked to climate change.
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