Greece was battling three major wildfires in the north, south and east on Sunday and feared more damage from a heat wave sweeping the country.
On the island of Lesvos, the fire that broke out on Saturday and caused the evacuation of hundreds of tourists and residents of the coastal town of Vatera, continued to rage according to firefighters.
At least four houses were destroyed, according to the state channel ERT. Since Saturday, Greece has been hit by a heat wave that is expected to last ten days with temperatures of 42°C expected in some regions, raising fears of further fires.
A forest fire near Athens
In the north of the country, firefighters, assisted by volunteers, continue to fight for the fourth consecutive day against a raging fire in Dadia National Park, the largest Natura 2000 site in Greece, known for its colony of vultures.
The fire, unusually difficult according to fire department spokesman Yiannis Artopoios, forced authorities to evacuate the town of Dadia on Saturday night.
In the Peloponnese, the town of Chrysokelaria had to be evacuated on Saturday night due to a fire near Koroni that firefighters were trying to fight on Sunday.
On Wednesday, a forest fire in the mountains near Athens had damaged homes and forced several hundred people to flee, a few kilometers from the coastal town of Mati, scene of the worst forest fire disaster in Greece in 2018, in which killed 102 people. .
Three deaths last year
According to scientists, the proliferation of extreme weather events is a direct consequence of global warming, with greenhouse gas emissions increasing in intensity, duration and frequency.
Last year, a heat wave and forest fires destroyed 103,000 hectares and killed three people in Greece.
Source: BFM TV
