Greek villages evacuated due to forest fire

Nearly 150 firefighters are trying to bring the blaze under control in the region of Patras, Greece’s third largest city. Planes and helicopters are also used to extinguish the fire. In addition, hospitals are ready to receive the injured and the motorway between the peninsula and mainland Greece is closed.

More than 100 children evacuated

About ten houses have already been destroyed in the fire. At least five people have been hospitalized with respiratory problems.

The coast guard rescued 15 people from the coastal area and more than 100 children were evacuated from a seaside camp, local media reported. The Navy patrols along the coast to help those affected by the fire in the area if necessary.

The various fires in Greece have been raging since last Wednesday. Earlier this week, the blaze also spread north of Athens. Houses caught fire, but no one was injured.

Greece is grappling with what meteorologists consider to be a “historic” heat wave. It is taken into account that the temperature may rise locally up to 46 degrees in the coming times.

Fires in Southern Europe

Elsewhere in southern Europe, it is also very hot and fires have started. In southern Italy, firefighters have had to move hundreds of times in the past 24 hours. The island of Sicily in particular is suffering from forest fires, after Sardinia was also hit by a major forest fire a week ago. But there are also forest fires in the southern regions of Puglia, Calabria and Campania and in the Lazio region, which includes the capital Rome.

Meanwhile, Turkish emergency services are still trying to control the massive forest fires. Hotels in the southern parts of the Mediterranean Sea had to be evacuated. Tourists were sometimes brought to safety by boats. Six people were killed.