Greece wildfire threatens homes in Athens

Updated
Dozens Flee Homes as Wildfires Rage Near Athens
Dozens Flee Homes as Wildfires Rage Near Athens



A wildfire in Greece has forced dozens of residents in Athens to flee their homes.

The fires on the outskirts of the capital and in the southern Peloponnese have forced Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to request help from Europe to fight the flames.

"All firefighting forces, in addition to the army and the airforce, are on alert," Tsipras said, blaming the outbreak on "emergency weather conditions".

"We all need to stay calm," he said.

AFP reports that France is sending two water-bombing planes and reconnaissance aircraft following Tsipras' appeal.

Around 200 people were evacuated from a beach and several homes have been damaged.

Authorities say that over 50 separate fires broke out in the region stretching from the island Evia to the southern Peloponnese, the BBC reports.

Forest fires are not unusual in Greece but local reports that they are bigger in recent years.

In 2012, over 200 firefighters, soldiers and volunteers were called into action on the Greek island of Chios. At least three villages and tourist resorts were evacuated and residents were forced to watch from the beach as the flames took hold.

Rescue workers found it hard to control the flames due to strong winds.

As a result, ten villages on Chios were under threat and the blaze moved closer to the Greek army base 'PAP' near the village of Vessas.

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