WILDFIRES RAGE OUT OF CONTROL IN WESTERN ATTICA AND BOEOTIA

ATHENS, AUGUST 1 /SRNA/ – Wildfires continued to rage out of control in the Greek regions of Boeotia and Western Attica, destroying homes and forcing residents to evacuate, while strong winds hampered firefighting efforts, the Kathimerini news portal reported.

In Porto Germeno, a coastal town on the Gulf of Corinth about 70 kilometres west of Athens, firefighters were battling three separate fire fronts - one within a pine forest, another advancing toward the Agia Paraskevi area, and a third moving toward Mýtikas.

Twelve people were evacuated by boat from a nearby beach early this morning, authorities said.

"Porto Germeno has been completely burned. There are dead animals on the roads, rocks have fallen onto the roads. Everything has burned," a firefighter told the state broadcaster ERT.

Another firefighter described flames reaching heights of 20 to 30 metres.

"There was no way out. We thought it could become another Mati, he said, referring to the deadly wildfire near Athens in 2018 that claimed more than 100 lives.

In Boeotia, north of Athens, fires near Xironomi and Kalamaki damaged homes and devastated large areas.

Firefighters are also battling blazes north of Domvraina and near Livadostra, where evacuation orders have been issued.

A total of 325 firefighters, 92 fire engines, and 18 forest firefighting teams have been deployed to combat the fires.

Twenty-five aircraft and helicopters have also been assigned to the operation, but they have been unable to fly because of the extremely strong winds.

Military equipment, along with resources provided by local authorities, has also been used to establish firebreaks in an effort to contain the blazes.