Greek wildfire near Athens, Prompting mass evacuations from towns and hospitals

• Firefighting aircraft paused operations overnight and resumed efforts early Monday.
• At least three hospitals in Penteli were evacuated.
• Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis returned to Athens to oversee the response.

On Monday, a fast-moving wildfire driven by gale-force winds surged closer to Athens, burning trees, houses, and cars. Greek authorities reported that the blaze forced the evacuation of hospitals and at least 11 towns and villages.

Since May, hundreds of wildfires have erupted across Greece. Although summer fires are common in the country, scientists attribute the increased frequency and intensity of these blazes to extraordinarily hot and dry weather linked to climate change.

More than 560 firefighters, supported by volunteers, 17 waterbombing planes, and 15 helicopters, battled the latest wildfire that erupted at 3 p.m. (midday GMT) on Sunday near Varnavas, 35 km (20 miles) north of the capital.

By Monday morning, the fire had spread southward, burning on several fronts including the village of Grammatiko, the ancient town of Marathon, the seaside municipality of Nea Makri, and Mount Penteli just north of Athens. Strong winds continuously changed the direction of the flames.

“Despite a hard battle and the superhuman efforts overnight, the fire spread very fast and has reached Mount Penteli,” a fire brigade official said.

Firefighting aircraft paused operations overnight and resumed efforts early Monday. Police assisted with evacuations, and some residents spent the night in shelters.

At least three hospitals in Penteli were evacuated.

The blaze, with flames reaching up to 25 meters (82 feet), spread “like lightning” due to gale-force winds, according to fire brigade spokesperson Vassilis Vathrakogiannis on Sunday.

Thick clouds of smoke darkened the sky over Athens on Sunday evening. Hours later, flames reached the residential suburb of Dionysos, about 23 km (14 miles) northeast of the city center, and nearby areas.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis returned to Athens from a weekend break on the island of Crete to oversee the response to the blaze, according to a government official. The memory of the 2018 fire that killed 104 people in the seaside town of Mati, near the capital, remains fresh.

After experiencing its warmest winter on record and extended periods of little or no rainfall, Greece is expected to record its hottest-ever summer. Authorities remain on high fire alert until Thursday, with weather experts warning of a “very difficult week.” Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Vassilis Kikilias said on Saturday that “half of Greece will be in the red,” citing temperatures around 40°C (104°F) amid strong winds.

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