Greek fires near Athens brought under control

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Forest fires that raged in the outer suburbs of Athens over the weekend have been brought under control, firefighters said on Monday.

Fanned by strong winds of up to 70 kilometers per hour and dry conditions, two fires broke out on Sunday at the seaside resort of Keratea, east of the capital, and in the suburb Stamata.

The authorities carried out evacuations, and a 45-year-old man died of cardiac arrest while trying to flee the flames in Stamata.

Several houses and cars were destroyed in the flames.

Firefighters try to extinguish a wildfire in the Stamata region near Athens, Greece, June 30, 2024. /CFP

By Monday, the fires had all been brought under control, said fire department spokesperson Vasilis Vathrakogiannis.

"There is no longer an active front; the fires were contained by firefighter supports on Sunday, by water bombers and helicopters, who fought in very dangerous conditions," he said.

He added that the fact that winds had eased had helped control the majority of fires across the country.

A wildfire that ignited Saturday afternoon in the area of Mount Parnitha, known as "the lungs of Athens," was controlled by Saturday evening with the help of reinforcements from other regions and volunteer firefighters.

Greece, a tourist hotspot, faces a tough wildfire season after its warmest winter and earliest heatwave on record, with temperatures hitting 44 degrees Celsius in June.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has called on Greeks to brace for a difficult wildfire season.

For more: Wildfire breaks out on Mount Parnitha near Athens

Source(s): AFP