Wildfires rampaged through some of Greece's last remaining forests for yet another day Saturday, encroaching on more inhabited areas after burning scores of homes, businesses and farms during the country's worst heat wave in three decades.
One of the massive fires advanced up the slopes of Mount Parnitha, a national park north of Athens and one of the last substantial forests near the Greek capital. The blaze sent choking smoke across the capital region, where authorities set up a hotline for residents with breathing problems. Throughout the day, fire crews struggled to contain constant flare-ups.
To the south, in the Mani region of the Peloponnese, the site of one major fire, a local official estimated that around 70 per cent of her area had been destroyed. Egypt said Saturday it was sending two helicopters to Greece, while 36 Czech firefighters with 15 vehicles were expected to arrive early Monday.
"Over the past few days, we have been facing a situation without precedent in our country, in the intensity and wide distribution of the wildfires, and the new outbreaks all over ," he said. "I want to assure you that all forces available are taking part in the fight." Greece has been baked by its most protracted heat wave in 30 years, with temperatures soaring to 45 C. Temperatures eased Friday, but winds picked up, further exacerbating the situation.
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