A Friday morning fire in southeast Athens prompted calls for nearby residents to evacuate amid strong winds, as this year’s fire season in Greece continues to test resources. Last week, there were more than fifty wildfires reported in the country in a 24-hour period.
Nearly a hundred firefighters, along with volunteers and municipal workers responded to Friday’s 11 a.m. blaze, which broke out in a vegetated area in Feriza.
Residents Near Fire in Southeast Athens Urged to Evacuate
Feriza is a settlement located within Saronikos. Officials also sent four aircraft and three helicopters to assist. According to reports, residents nearby have been advised to evacuate their homes, along with those living in the Agios Panteleimonas neighborhood.
In a separate fire today on the island of Crete, officials instructed residents of Rethymno to evacuate their homes. The blaze started in a grassy area on the island’s north coast in the third largest town halfway between the capital Heraklion and the city of Chania.
The latest fires come after Wednesday’s deadly helicopter crash off the island of Samos, which involved another blaze. Two people died when their helicopter crashed into the sea as the four-person crew was battling a wildfire on that island.
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