Hundreds of Greek firefighters battled through the night to contain a major wildfire that raged through a forested area on the northern outskirts of Athens, forcing evacuations and threatening homes in the Oropos region.
The blaze, which broke out Wednesday afternoon, was fanned by strong winds and quickly spread through dry vegetation, prompting a massive emergency response.
As of early Thursday morning, the immediate threat to homes in the village of Asprochori had been averted after an all-night effort, according to Fire Service spokesperson Vasilis Vathrakogiannis. However, he stressed that the situation remained critical, with a large front still burning in a forested area near the community of Sykamino.
“We have made progress in containing the fire, but there is a long way to go before it is fully under control,” Mr. Vathrakogiannis told state broadcaster ERT.
More than 210 firefighters, supported by specialized forest commando teams and dozens of vehicles, were operating on the ground overnight. They were assisted by volunteers and water tankers from local municipalities.
Up to 21 water-dropping aircraft were involved in the operation until nightfall and were expected to resume at first light.
Authorities confirmed that so far, no homes had been destroyed, a key objective of the overnight operation.
The nearby Malakasa migrant facility was placed on alert, but an evacuation was not deemed necessary.
The fire is the latest major blaze to strike Greece during a challenging summer marked by successive heatwaves and high winds, which have kept the country’s civil protection services on high alert.