Forest fires in Greece approach Athens

Greek firefighters were battling two forest fires near Athens on Sunday amid strong winds, just hours after managing to contain the flames in a mountainous area also near the capital, as well as on an island in the Aegean Sea.

Dozens of firefighters in full gear, backed by 23 water-carrying planes, battled with hoses to control a blaze in a sparsely populated area near the town of Keratea, about 35 kilometers (22 miles) south of Athens.

Authorities ordered evacuations before flames from pine and olive trees burned homes.

Another fire in the community of Stamata, north of Athens, burned through a lush pine forest, sending plumes of smoke over parts of the city.

So far, no homes have been destroyed.

With hot and windy conditions across much of Greece, dozens of forest fires broke out over the weekend and people were advised to stay away from forested areas.

Firefighters were still working on the island of Serifos, where a fire broke out on Saturday (29) among undergrowth and spread quickly, fueled by strong winds, damaging homes and causing the evacuation of several villages.

The wildfire, which has spread over a distance of 15 km (9 miles), has damaged holiday homes and warehouses, the island’s mayor, Kostas Revinthis, told Greek television.

Another fire in the mountainous Parnitha forest, near a nature reserve on the outskirts of Athens, had subsided by Sunday morning (30), authorities said.

Forest fires are common in the Mediterranean country, but they have become more devastating in recent years as summers have become hotter, drier and winds stronger — which scientists link to the effects of climate change.

After last summer’s deadly wildfires and the warmest winter on record, Greece has developed a new doctrine that includes deploying an extra fire engine to each new blaze, ramping up air support and clearing forests.