Name: Greek firefighters battle to tame new wildfire
Uploaded: 2024-07-01T03:38:43.000Z
Duration: 37 s
Description: Greek firefighters were battling a wildfire south of Athens on Sunday (June 30) amid strong winds, just hours after managing to contain blazes in a mountainous area also near the capital as well as on an island in the Aegean Sea. - REUTERS

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Watch as Greek firefighters attempt to extinguish the raging wildfires near Athens.

The country is currently grappling with its earliest heatwave on record which has already had devastating effects. Officials have ordered the evacuation of eight localities near Athens as multiple fires ignite in the region of Attica, a hotspot for British holidaymakers.

In a late-night announcement on Sunday, Vassilis Kikilias, the Minister for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, sounded the alarm over two "extremely dangerous" fires that erupted in the towns of Keratea and Stamata, rapidly spreading through residential areas propelled by strong winds. The popular islands of Chios and Kos were also on high alert, with fires still blazing on Monday (July 1), according to WalesOnline.

Emergency services issued evacuation orders for the Metohi area in western Chios, advising locals and tourists to seek refuge at a nearby beach. A warning sent to British holidaymakers read: "If you are in Kardamena Kos move away to Antimachia," and urged tourists to heed instructions from local authorities.

Another message from TUI added: "We are currently on standby and awaiting information from civil protection. Please liaise with your hotel reception teams who are in touch with local authorities to get advice on the next steps.”

British tourists in Greece have been slapped with an "emergency alert" as a ferocious wildfire rages across the holiday hotspot. | AFP via Getty Images

On Kos, the Hellenic Fire Service reported deploying 20 firefighters, a helicopter, and several volunteers to combat a brush fire in the island's centre. Greece’s Prime Minister said: "It is a summer which is expected to be particularly dangerous [for wildfires]... the most difficult times are still ahead of us." He described June as "exceptionally difficult", stating: "We have had an exceptionally difficult June regarding weather conditions, with high levels of drought and unusually strong winds for this season."

Mr Mitsotakis said the use of drones as an early warning system for wildfires had been particularly useful, and increased coordination between authorities and volunteer firefighters had limited the extent of the damage so far as well. Public help would be vital as the country enters "the tough core of the anti-fire period" through the heart of summer, he added.

Greece: Athens wildfires battled by firefighters as tourists evacuated and warning issued in dramatic video

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