FIREFIGHTERS CONTINUE BATTLE AGAINST MAJOR WILDFIRE NEAR ATHENS

ATHENS, AUGUST 2 /SRNA/ – Greek firefighters have continued battling a major wildfire west of Athens, with hundreds of emergency responders spending the night at the scene in the Kithairon Mountains, media reported.

They are being supported by volunteers, military vehicles and heavy equipment. At dawn, firefighting aircraft and helicopters resumed operations, according to the state broadcaster .

The flames have spread rapidly at times due to strong winds. The areas of Veniza and Psatha have been particularly hard hit.

Emergency services said the fire is moving eastward and is now only a few kilometres from the town of Megara, about 50 kilometres west of Athens.

According to official reports, at least 500 firefighters are battling the blaze, including teams from Romania and France.

A fire service spokesperson said that 13 people have so far been arrested across the country on suspicion of negligently causing wildfires.

A major wildfire is also burning on the island of Kefalonia, but ERT reported that no towns on the island are currently under immediate threat.

Local media reported that the wildfires on the island of Crete have largely been brought under control.

Media reports say that about 200 homes have been destroyed so far, although this figure has not been officially confirmed.

According to an assessment by the national meteorological service, the fire has devastated approximately 10,000 hectares of land in the northwestern and western parts of the Athens region.