First major wildfire of the season SE of Athens proper, near coastal resorts

The first major wildfire front in Greece during the current summer season was moving along a roughly three-kilometer front southeast of Athens proper, centered at the Kouvara site and adjacent to the coastal resorts of Anavyssos, Saronida and Lagonissi.

Thick smoke has emerged from the area, which is characterized by hilly and mostly arid terrain, with brush, shrubs and patches of pines being torched. Several homes in the settlements identified as Finikia and Tabouria were also reportedly destroyed. A partial evacuation was ordered.

Television footage also showed flames very close to high-voltage power lines.

Temperatures close to 40C and gusty winds, as with previous years, were accompanied by wildfires in the country.

Traffic was stopped on several major roadways heading into and out of the specific region, which at this time of the year attracts tens of thousands of residents of the nearby greater Athens area.

Conversely, due to its proximity to Greece’s largest urban agglomeration, scores of firefighters and been dispatched to the scene, while helicopters have been mostly used, due to wind conditions.