Two wildfires near Greece's capital caused significant destruction on Sunday amid persistent strong winds, escalating fire risks across the nation.
One fire erupted in Keratea, approximately 40 kilometres (25 miles) southeast of Athens, resulting in the destruction of homes after widespread evacuations were ordered. Firefighters, supported by water-dropping planes and helicopters, worked intensively to contain the blaze throughout Sunday afternoon. Central roads in the area were closed to traffic by police as efforts to manage the fire intensified, marking the second such incident in the town over the weekend and part of a series of fires across Greece in recent days. In the 24-hour period leading up to Saturday evening, firefighters responded to 54 forest fires.
Meanwhile, in the vicinity of Stamata, about 30 kilometres northeast of Athens, another fire ravaged forested areas and homes, as depicted in local TV footage. Authorities evacuated multiple locations and enforced traffic bans. Tragically, local media reported that a man suffered a fatal heart attack during the blaze on Sunday.
A fire on Saturday night damaged homes on the island of Serifos in the Aegean Sea.
The ongoing dry weather and an early-season heatwave have exacerbated conditions, contributing to the heightened fire risk.
Weather forecasts suggest a slight easing of conditions by Monday, though very high fire alerts will remain in effect for Crete, with other regions remaining on high alert.
