Residents flee from major wildfire in Greece

(Patria) - Thousands of residents have been evacuated from their homes as a large forest fire continues to rage north of Athens, with flames reaching up to 25 metres high, the BBC reported. Since Saturday afternoon, 40 fires have broken out in Greece, and firefighters are still battling seven.

The historic site of Marathon is among the areas where emergency services are moving residents to safety. Houses and properties in the nearby town of Varnavas have been burned, the fire brigade said.

Firefighters also evacuated people trapped in flames in a convoy of 20 to 25 vehicles that were trying to flee the area.

Minister for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Vassilis Kikilias warned that extremely dangerous weather will continue. Greece has just experienced its hottest June and July on record.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis returned to Athens on Sunday, cutting short his holiday, to face the crisis. In Varnavas, a fire broke out on Sunday afternoon and burned 100 square kilometres of land.

Residents of Varnavas and Grammatikos were instructed to evacuate in a message from the national emergency number. Residents of the historic town of Marathon were told to evacuate towards the beach town of Nea Makri.

Fire brigade spokesperson Vassilis Vathrakogiannis said the fire quickly escalated to a huge size due to strong winds.

“We appeal to all residents of the area. For their safety and given that the fire is advancing rapidly, it is necessary to follow the instructions of the authorities,” he said. “At this moment, the fire is advancing towards Lake Marathon, and forces are constantly being reinforced against it, focusing on the flanks and battling flames that in some cases are higher than 25 metres,” he added.