Wildfire around Greek capital prompts more evacuations

By Ahmet Gencturk

ATHENS (AA) – A wildfire around the Greek capital Athens that started in the area of Pyli on Tuesday prompted more evacuations, including of nursing homes and a monastery, local media reported on Wednesday.

As the fire threatens the National Park of Parnitha, located north of the capital, a major tourist casino resort, and numerous houses in the region, the efforts to control the blaze by hundreds of firefighters, assisted by firefighting helicopters and planes, have remained insufficient because of the strong wind and extreme weather, public-broadcaster ERT said.

It added that at least three nursing homes and a monastery housing dozens of nuns were already evacuated in the municipality of Agia Paraskevi, over 9 kilometers (6 miles) northeast of Athens city center.

The fire already reached some houses in the Agia Paraskevi, Dardiza, and Agia Yiannis Rousso, and the residents in these areas were ordered to evacuate immediately.

The fact that the smoke covers the sky of the capital and adjacent port city of Piraeus proves the magnitude of the fire.

The Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection announced that a very high risk of fire (risk category 4) is predicted for Wednesday in six regions of the country, including Eastern Macedonia, Evros, Rodopi, central Attica region which includes Athens, and Piraeus, as well as western and southern parts of the country.