Firefighters battle strong winds as 70 forest fires rage in Greece

Hundreds of firefighters are battling 70 forest fires in various parts of Greece, including the islands of Andros and Salamis. The firefighting efforts are hampered by strong winds, which may lead to the emergence of additional fires.

More than 30 firefighters, supported by two planes and five firefighting helicopters, are combating a fire ravaging Andros in the Aegean Sea. Due to the danger, residents of four villages on the island have been evacuated. The fire has not yet reached the local tourist resorts.

On Saturday, firefighters extinguished a forest fire on Salamis in the Saronic Gulf west of Athens.

According to Greek meteorologists, the appearance of fires in the first half of June is linked to the much earlier onset of hot and dry air and strong winds.

The fire department stated that due to strong winds and high temperatures, the threat of additional fires will persist at least until Sunday.

On Friday, a 55-year-old man died in the hospital from injuries sustained during a fire in the Ilia region on the Peloponnese peninsula. Last week, dozens of people living near Athens were forced to leave their homes due to the threat of fires.

In 2023, forest fires raging in the northern regions of Greece forced about 19,000 people to leave the island of Rhodes, and 20 people died.