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On the 12th, in Greece, the wildfire could not be effectively controlled and thousands of residents were asked to evacuate. Visual China/Photo

Wildfires broke out in Athens, the capital of Greece, and other places recently, and thousands of residents received evacuation orders. Experts warned that high temperatures and strong winds are expected to continue this week, which may aggravate the fire situation. Thousands of residents in eight settlements in the northeastern suburbs of Greece and Attica were asked to evacuate on the 12th. Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis has returned to Athens from Crete to supervise the fire response.

Greek fire officials said at a press conference in Athens on the 12th that the fire in the northeastern suburbs of Athens started in the Varnavas area near the town of Marathon. The fire has now spread more than 30 kilometers and is approaching the Pendeli Mountain area adjacent to Athens. Affected by the wildfire, the city of Athens is currently covered by thick smoke and visibility has decreased. According to the latest news from the Greek government, the wildfire has injured at least one firefighter and another 8 people were sent to the hospital due to breathing problems.

Due to the rapid spread of the fire, tens of thousands of residents who had just evacuated from Marathon to the nearby seaside town of Nea Macri on the evening of the 11th were asked to evacuate again. The facilities of the Athens Olympic Sports Center, the main venue of the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, about 30 kilometers from Marathon, have been opened to the public to receive people evacuated from the disaster area.

Due to high temperatures, drought and strong winds, a total of 40 wildfires broke out across Greece in the past day, with the fire in Varnavas being the most serious.

The Greek fire department said that more than 500 firefighters are fighting the fire with the support of soldiers and volunteers. The wildfire has burned a large number of forests and farmlands, and burned an unknown number of houses and vehicles. Dozens of firefighting aircraft and helicopters that were unable to work at night resumed firefighting work at dawn on the 12th.

Greece's June and July temperatures were the highest since records began in 1960. According to statistics, more than 2,000 wildfires have broken out across Greece since the beginning of summer this year. In view of the unfavorable weather conditions from the 11th to the 15th, meteorologists and government officials warned that more wildfires may break out. Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Vasilis Kikilias said that half of Greece's territory will be on "red alert" for wildfires by then.

Researchers point out that greenhouse gas emissions from the burning of fossil fuels are increasing the frequency and intensity of global hot weather, making it last longer. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change of the United Nations said that rising temperatures have led to longer wildfire seasons and larger burned areas.

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