Thousands Evacuated in Athens as Widefire Spreads
A large wildfire has continued to spread towards Athens, with some flames leaping as high as 25m (80ft), causing thousands of residents to be evacuated from their homes.
The historic site of Marathon is among the areas where residents are being moved to safety by the emergency services.
The fire brigade reported that Houses and properties in the nearby town of Varnavas were burning. Firefighters also evacuated people trapped by flames in a convoy of 20 to 25 vehicles that had been trying to escape the area.
Spokesman of the fire brigade, Vassilis Vathrakogiannis said in an emergency press briefing early on Monday that more than 500 firefighters and 150 vehicles have been deployed to help put out the flames.
He said the fire is now heading to Mount Penteli, famous for its marble quarries, and the adjoining Athens suburb of the same name where three hospitals have been evacuated.
Parts of the capital have been left under a cloud of brown smoke.
And Mr Vathrakogiannis added that winds remained strong during the night and were expected to increase in intensity throughout Monday morning.
In Varnavas, the wildfire that started on Sunday afternoon had burned 100 sq km (38 sq miles) of land by 19:00 BST. As a result, residents of Varnavas and Grammatiko were instructed to evacuate the area in a message from the national emergency number.
Residents of historic town Marathon were also told to evacuate towards the beach town of Nea Makri.
Report has it that Greece experienced its hottest July weekend in 50 years with temperatures forecast to soar above 40C (104F). Mr Vathrakogiannis said, on Sunday, that the fire was quickly fanned to a huge size by winds of up to 8 Beaufort (39-46mph).
"We are appealing to all residents of the area. For their own safety and given that the fire is advancing rapidly, it is imperative that they heed the instructions of the authorities," Mr Vathrakogiannis said.
"At this time, the fire is advancing toward Marathon Lake with the forces against it being constantly reinforced, focusing on the flanks and dealing with flames that in some cases are higher than 25m," he added.
The strong winds were greatly hampering the work of the firefighting aircraft participating in the operation, with the fight against the fire expected to last through the night as the winds were expected to continue to be very strong.
