More than 500 firefighters struggled through the night to contain a large forest blaze on the outskirts of Athens, which raced into residential areas Tuesday, forcing thousands to flee. It was the worst of 81 wildfires that broke out in Greece over the past 24 hours, amid one of the country's most intense heatwaves in decades.
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Civil Protection chief Nikos Hardalias said the fire north of Athens was "very dangerous," and had been exacerbated by strong winds and tinder-dry conditions due to the heat that reached 45 Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) in the area.
No severe injuries were reported, and authorities said several buildings had been damaged but no detailed breakdown was available. The cause of the blaze was unclear.
"We continue to fight hour by hour, with our top priority being to save human lives," Hardalias said. "We will do so all night."
"These are crucial hours," Hardalias said. "Our country is undergoing one of the worst heatwaves of the past 40 years."
