Wildfire burns through northern suburb of Greece’s capital Athens and residents are told to evacuate | World News

Wildfire burns through northern suburb of Greece’s capital Athens and residents are told to evacuate (AP)

A wildfire burned through a northern suburb of the Greek capital of Athens on Saturday and some residents have been ordered to evacuate, the nation’s Fire Service reported. Residents of the city of Kryoneri, 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) northeast of Athens obtained 3 SMS messages to evacuate to secure areas, Fire Service spokesman Vassilis Vathrakoyannis told reporters.

Greek media have proven homes on fireplace. The spokesman stated “there have been reports of damages. We will take stock when the fires have been put out.” “The real difficulties are ahead of us,” Vathrakoyannis stated, including that Greece has requested for six firefighting planes from the European Union’s Civil Protection Mechanism. On web site, 145 firefighters and 44 fireplace engines, 10 firefighting planes and seven helicopters are trying to put out the fireplace, whose origin is unknown. Four ambulances are treating not less than 5 residents, most of them aged with respiratory issues. Temperatures reaching, or exceeding, 38 levels Celsius (100 levels Fahrenheit), dry situations and excessive winds are fanning the flames. Under such situations wildfires “expand very quickly and become dangerous. These conditions are expected to prevail over the coming days,” Vathrakoyannis stated. The fireplace service can be coping with three different main fires within the southwest on Greece’s two largest islands – Crete within the south and Evia north of Athens – and additionally on the island of Kythera, northwest of Crete. At least 335 firefighters, 19 planes and 13 helicopters are concerned, however can solely function in daylight. In complete, 52 wildfires broke out throughout the nation over the previous 24 hours, the spokesman stated. Wildfires, many of them harmful, have change into a standard incidence in Greece in recent times. Several have damaged out previously month.