Huge fire burns on outskirts of Athens as heat sears Europe
A huge wildfire is threatening suburbs on the outskirts of Athens, forcing thousands of people to evacuate as houses were set alight and local hospitals put at risk.
Climate change is turbo-charging the threat posed by wildfires, with Greece suffering its worst season in two decades. The biggest blaze of the summer started northeast of the capital on Sunday, fueled by strong winds, high temperatures and a lengthy drought.
The fire has now spread to Vrilissia, a suburb that’s just 7.5 miles from central Athens. The inhabitants have been told to evacuate.
More than a dozen towns and villages have so far been evacuated, with police rescuing more than 250 trapped people since Sunday afternoon. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis cut short a vacation to return to Athens.
“We will have a very difficult week,” said Civil Protection Minister Vasilis Kikilias.
Almost 700 firefighters, supported by 17 helicopters and 16 planes, are tackling the blaze. Two firefighters have been slightly injured.
Some ferries to and from the Cycladic islands have been diverted to the port of Lavrio from Rafina, where some access roads pass close to the fire. There are also power outages across a number of areas in the Attica region.
Temperatures are forecast to climb to 108 degrees Farenheit on the Greek mainland in the coming days, with dangerous conditions persisting until at least Thursday.
Much of Europe faces a searing start to the week, with Spain topping 104 degrees and England set for its hottest day of the year. Northern France may approach 104 on Monday, while London is forecast to reach 93.
Swaths of the continent have faced scorching temperatures this summer as climate change intensifies heat waves across the region, putting crops and power grids at risk.
In France, Electricite de France SA’s vast fleet of nuclear reactors has been affected by the hot weather, with output at several plants curtailed due to restrictions on releasing cooling-water into warm rivers. The grid operator said Sunday that production curbs are likely to affect the Tricastin facility Tuesday through Monday.