By Micheal Chukwuebuka, Reporting
FIREFIGHTERS in hundreds, on Monday, were battling fast-moving wildfires near Athens amid scorching temperatures throughout Greece.
Emergency and weather officials said evacuations are still underway in the region.
Residents were warned of a high fire hazard in several areas, including the Athens peninsula and the Boeotia region northwest of it.
In a statement, weather officials said both areas were among those where the risk category was raised to five, meaning there’s an extreme risk of fire.
Col. Vassilios Vathrakogiannis, of the country’s fire service, in a statement, said, as of Monday, dozens of blazes were burning along the edges of a fire that broke out in Varnavas on Sunday afternoon.
That fire had been buffeted by strong winds, Vathrakogiannis said, adding they were making the work of civil protection forces on the ground extremely difficult.
More than 700 firefighters and nearly 200 vehicles were working with the Civil Protection agencies, Vathrakogiannis said.
Stonix News learnt that eighteen helicopters and 17 other firefighting aircraft had been in use since the Varnavas blaze began spreading.
Two firefighters were injured, according to Vathrakogiannis. One had minor burns and the other had respiratory issues.
Thirteen other people have been provided medical care for minor respiratory issues.
Countries including France, Italy and the Czech Republic are sending assistance, including firefighters and vehicles.
Officials have issued evacuation orders for several towns north and northwest of Athens, including New and Old Penteli, Patima Chalandriou, Patima Vrilission, Krasa Ano Vrilission, as well as from Dionysos and Marathon.
More than 30,000 residents were ordered to evacuate from Marathon toward the neighboring beach town of Nea Makri.
More than 250 people were evacuated with the help of police officers near Athens, the Greek Police said on social media.
About 380 officers were working in the area, with dozens of vehicles and two-wheelers, police said.
Local emergency responders were notified they should be “on increased civil protection readiness in order to face any fire incidents immediately,” the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection said.
ABC News reported that temperatures near Athens were expected to climb on Monday to about 95 degrees Fahrenheit, before spiking to about 100 degrees on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the Hellenic National Meteorological Center.
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