Greek firefighters are battling a large wildfire south of Athens as the country faces its first major heat wave of the summer, with temperatures nearing 40°C and strong winds fuelling the flames.
The blaze broke out near the coastal town of Palaia Fokaia, around 40 kilometres from the capital, damaging several holiday homes and burning forested areas.
Authorities said the fire is spreading rapidly due to extreme heat and wind. An arson investigation unit has been deployed, but the cause remains unknown.
More than 130 firefighters, backed by 80 fire engines, are on the ground, supported by 12 water-dropping planes and 12 helicopters. Volunteers from the Hellenic Red Cross also assisted with evacuations of people from their homes.
Police have evacuated at least 40 people from the area. Eleven tourists were rescued from a holiday home, while two coast guard boats and nine private vessels remain on standby for possible sea evacuations.
The civil protection agency sent emergency text alerts urging residents to leave. No injuries have been reported, but ambulances are on standby.
Wildfire risk remains high across much of Greece, including the greater Athens area and several Aegean islands. Authorities warn that conditions on Friday will remain dangerous before a possible drop in temperatures.
Earlier this week, it took firefighters four days to control a major blaze on the island of Chios.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia hit at least six energy targets in deadly strikes across Ukraine, showing Moscow is unwilling t...
Saudi Arabia has vowed to remain resilient after a wave of Houthi missile and drone attacks killed around 20 people at Riyadh's main airp...
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has urged Armenia and Azerbaijan to sign and ratify their peace agreement as soon as possible, calling it a...
One person was killed and nearly a dozen hurt in a fresh attack on Riyadh's international airport on Sunday, Saudi authorities reported, a day after a strike claimed by Yemen's Houthis killed 13 people and wounded more than 300.
The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said late Monday that it intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthi group toward Khamis Mushait in southwestern Saudi Arabia.
The Houthi movement has escalated their attacks on Saudi Arabia, targeting the airport in Riyadh and other cities, killing more than a dozen people.
The Kremlin on Monday rejected a 60-day ceasefire idea proposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to allow his country to hold presidential elections, saying it wanted an overall peace deal instead.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia hit at least six energy targets in deadly strikes across Ukraine, showing Moscow is unwilling to accept the energy ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Türkiye’s COP31 presidency has unveiled an action agenda designed to turn climate commitments into concrete projects and measurable results, focusing on clean energy, waste reduction, resilient cities and industrial decarbonisation.
Greenland and Antarctica have shed a combined 11.3 trillion tonnes of ice since 1979, according to the most comprehensive satellite study of the planet's ice sheets to date, with researchers warning the pace of loss has accelerated sharply in recent decades.
The European Union will continue allowing large-scale plastic waste exports to Türkiye despite concerns over recycling rates, environmental damage and the risk of illegal waste trafficking.
Hundreds of thousands of deep-diving turtles, known as olive ridley sea turtles, have arrived on Mexico’s southern coast for one of nature’s most striking nesting events. But conservation officials warn that climate change is making it increasingly difficult for their eggs to hatch.
August 2026 tied as the hottest month ever recorded globally, pushing average temperatures above the critical 1.5°C threshold as extreme weather swept across several regions, the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service said.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment