Photos show massive wildfire raging in Greece as residents near Athens forced to flee homes
Greek authorities on Tuesday issued an evacuation alert for the seaside town of Nea Makri in eastern Attica, as firefighters continued to battle a massive blaze burning through the Athens suburbs.
Hundreds of European firefighters, backed by fire engines and waterbombing aircraft, have sought to contain the country’s worst wildfire this year. The fire began on Sunday roughly 20 miles from Athens, according to Sky News.
Strong winds and scorching temperatures have created tinderbox conditions in the southern European country.
Authorities in Greece, which experienced Europe’s largest wildfire ever recorded last year, have ordered the evacuation of several towns in the north-eastern suburbs of the capital in recent days.
Parthenon temple in a smoke cloud
This photograph shows the Parthenon temple atop the Acropolis hill in a smoke cloud from a wildfire, in Athens on August 12, 2024. On August 12, 2024, Greece’s civil protection authorities ordered the evacuation of several towns in the north-eastern suburbs of Athens, threatened by a violent fire that started the day before and is spreading.
Angelos Tzortzinis | Afp | Getty Images
A helicopter extinguishes a forest fire
A helicopter extinguishes a forest fire in Ano Patima near Penteli in the northern region of Athens. Just a few kilometers northeast of the Greek capital, firefighters are battling countless fires over an area of around 200 square kilometers. The government has now asked the EU for support.
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Firefighters try to put out a fire
Firefighters and local volunteers try to extinguish a wildfire in Grammatikos region in Attica on August 12, 2024.
Aris Oikonomou | Afp | Getty Images
Local residents cry as they try to save some belongings
Local residents cry as they try to save some belongings during a wildfire near Penteli, on August 12, 2024. Greece’s civil protection authorities ordered the evacuation of several towns in the north-eastern suburbs of Athens, threatened by a violent fire that started the day before and is spreading. European Union said that four countries — Italy, France, the Czech Republic and Romania — would send assistance at the request of Greece which is combating a massive wildfire burning through Athens suburbs.
Angelos Tzortzinis | Afp | Getty Images
People run near a fire
People run near a fire, during a wildfire in Nea Penteli near Athens, Greece, on August 12, 2024.
Anadolu | Anadolu | Getty Images
A firefighter wearing breathing apparatus
A fightfighter wearing breathing aparatus stands in front of flames of a wildfire in Vrilissia, on the outskirts of Athens on August 12, 2024.
Aris Oikonomou | Afp | Getty Images
Smoke rising in the Attica region
This aerial photograph shows smoke rising from the burning areas affected by wildfires in the Attica region, on August 12, 2024. Greece’s civil protection authorities ordered the evacuation of several towns in the north-eastern suburbs of Athens, threatened by a violent fire that started the day before and is spreading.
Aris Oikonomou | Afp | Getty Images
Source – CNBC
