Thousands evacuated and tourists warned as wildfires burn near Athens – live

By Monday the fire, the worst in Greece this year, had advanced to the village of Grammatiko, the seaside municipality of Nea Makri and the fringes of Athens’ densely populated northern suburbs at the heavily wooded Mount Penteli.

“It hurts, we have grown up in this forest. We feel great sadness and anger,” 24-year old Penteli resident Marina Kalogerakou told news agency Reuters outside her home, which the flames had nearly reached.

Winds were expected to pick up further in the coming hours, aggravating the blaze, said Theodore Giannaros, researcher at the National Observatory of Athens. “We have a very difficult day ahead of us,” he told state TV ERT.

The police department said 380 police officers with 77 vehicles, 36 motorcycles, three buses and four vans were assisting in the evacuations, and by mid-morning had helped move more than 250 people away from the path of the flames.

It posted a video on its social media channels showing police officers carrying elderly people in their arms out of houses and to waiting vehicles, against a backdrop of a night sky turned red from the flames and smoke.

Authorities in nearby suburbs opened at least one sports hall and were providing rooms in hotels for evacuees, while yet more suburbs were put on standby for potential evacuation.

Three Athens hospitals were put on heightened alert to treat any potential injuries.

Greek firefighters have warned of fires spreading even further over the next few days as strong winds are expected, blowing wildifres to more land left dry after months without rain.

Emergency services are focusing efforts on Kallitechnoupoli and Grammatiko in eastern Attica after hundreds were evacuated on Sunday.

Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Vassilis Kikilias said on Monday during a news briefing that conditions have improved in Dionysos, Varnava, and Mikrochori.

“Since yesterday, residents of northeastern Attica have been facing an extremely dangerous fire. We are battling it under severe conditions due to strong winds, prolonged drought, and the area’s difficult terrain,” the minister said.

Some 670 firefighters, 27 forest commandos, 183 vehicles, 17 water-dropping planes, and 15 helicopters are deployed, Kikilias said.

He added that winds are still at 7 Beaufort Monday and are expected to remain strong in the coming days.

Welcome to The Independent live coverage of the wildfires on the outskirts of the Greek capital, Athens.

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