The village of Longitsi, in Central Greece, was ordered to evacuate after a wildfire that broke out on top of Mt. Orthys was driven in its direction by strong winds on Friday afternoon.
Deputy Regional Director Thanassis Karakantzas told AMNA that "the fire fronts moving toward the direction of the village are 800 meters away from the first homes."
The evacuation was necessary he said because "strong winds are creating new fronts constantly in the direction of the village."
The evacuation is being assisted by the Stylida township and the Greek police in the midst of thick smoke. Ground and air forces are fighting the blaze, which burns in inaccessible areas and is out of control.
The fire broke out on the top of Mt. Orthys, in the region between the villages of Longitsi and Neochori, NE of Lamia.
Winds in the area registering 5 on the Beaufort scale or above have created a fire front over a kilometer long that is heading both east and south.
Forces in the area number 40 firefighters, 15 fire trucks, 2 ground teams, two PZ aircraft and a helicopter lifting off from Lamia airport, along with two Canadair lifting off Anchialos airport.
Two weeks ago, another fire had broken out further east in the greater region and burned over 300 hectares (3,000 stremmas).
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