Woman killed in Greece wildfires as flames edge closer to Athens
One person has died in a major wildfire on the outskirts of Athens, as the blaze continues to edge closer to the Greek capital amid strong winds and hot temperatures.
Hundreds of firefighters backed by dozens of water-bombing aircraft battled to contain the fire that broke out on Sunday near the village of Varnavas, about 20 miles north of Athens, torching at least 100 homes and swathes of land in its wake.
By Monday, the flames reached Vrilissia, about eight miles from Athens, where one person was found dead, according to fire officials.
Greek media reported that firefighters had discovered the charred body of a woman believed to be in her sixties inside a burnt-out factory shortly after midnight. Workers at the factory said she may have become trapped inside the building before it burned to the ground.
More than 250 people have been evacuated from the path of the flames, which reached heights of about 25 metres (80 feet).
Athens was blanketed in smoke and ash as residents in neighbourhoods further from the city centre received push alerts on their mobile phones urging them to flee.
The wildfire has torched about 40 sq miles of land, according to local reports, with at least three hospitals evacuated and some areas in the wider Athens region left without power.
Winds were expected to pick up on Tuesday, with a forecast of gusts reaching up to 60 to 70km (37 to 43 miles) per hour. Much of the country will remain on high fire alert until Thursday as temperatures were forecast to reach up to 40°C.
“The overall picture looks improved but there are still many fronts in various areas,” a fire brigade official told Reuters.
Wildfires are common in Greece during the summer, but scientists say they have become more intense in recent years due to climate change bringing hotter weather and less rain. The cause of this week’s wildfire has not yet been determined.
Last year, wildfires in Greece killed more than 20 people, including 18 migrants who trekked through a forest in north-eastern Greece and were caught by a massive blaze that burned for more than two weeks.
Additional reporting by agencies