Greece: Village Evacuated Following Major Wildfire

A wildfire, fueled by strong winds, broke out this afternoon, Sunday, near Xylokastro in Corinth, about 140 kilometers west of Athens. Authorities have ordered the evacuation of a nearby village, according to the Greek fire service.

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A spokesperson for the fire service told AFP that “the fire is large-scale and currently difficult to control.”

The Greek Civil Protection sent a message to residents of Pyrgos, a village close to the affected area, urging them to evacuate.

So far, 15 fire trucks, seven water bombers, and three helicopters have been involved in combating this fire, according to the fire service.

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In total, “27 wildfires broke out across the country in the past 24 hours,” most of which have been brought under control, according to the same source.

Civil protection has placed several regions of the country on high alert for Sunday and Monday, due to winds reaching speeds of 50 to 75 kilometers per hour.

After enduring drought and early heatwaves, Greece has experienced massive wildfires this summer.

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In mid-August, the European Union sent firefighters from four countries to Greece after it requested assistance to combat a large wildfire near Athens.

At the time, European Commission spokesman Balazs Ujvari said in a statement that “the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism was activated at the request of the Greek authorities,” adding that Italy, France, the Czech Republic, and Romania had sent units to help.