Hellfire Near Athens: People Flee As Homes And History At Risk As Greece Wildfires Rage Near Athens

Southeastern Greece is battling relentless wildfires, with flames threatening towns just 50 km from Athens and forcing mass evacuations. In Keratea and Palaia Fokaia, residents fled as gale-force winds drove the blaze into homes, killing one elderly man. Fire crews, backed by water-bombing aircraft, worked through the night to contain the inferno, while villages near Ancient Olympia were evacuated amid fears for the historic site. Meteorologists warn of “meltemi” winds reaching 70 km/h, fanning the fires across Attica and the Peloponnese.

The blazes have destroyed thousands of hectares of farmland, homes, and pine forests, raising alarms over long-term environmental devastation and economic loss. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis convened an emergency cabinet meeting, calling the situation “fluid and dangerous.” With memories of past fire tragedies like Mati in 2018 still raw, Greece braces for more flare-ups as the weekend’s dangerous winds close in.

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