ATHENS, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Greek firefighters were battling a major wildfire for several hours on Sunday near Athens, which has forced the evacuation of five settlements, the Fire Brigade said.
Five residents among the evacuees were transferred to hospitals with minor injuries, mostly from respiratory problems due to smoke inhalation, said Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis.
The fire broke out around 3 p.m. local time in Varnavas, around 35 km from Athens, in the northeastern Attica region near Marathon. The fire spread fast fueled by hot and windy weather and thick plumes of smoke from the blaze have covered a large part of Athens.
The smoke has reached a distance of about 100 km from Varnavas due to strong winds, which reached up to eight on the Beaufort scale, according to Greek meteorologists.
Approximately 400 firefighters supported by 29 water-dropping airplanes and helicopters, 110 fire engines, military squads and many volunteers have been working to contain the front, a Fire Brigade spokesperson told a press briefing in Athens.
Another big wildfire, breaking out earlier on Sunday near Megara town in western Attica, has been taken under control.
In both cases, mostly forested areas were scorched, and local officials reported some damage to houses.
Over the past 24 hours, firefighting forces have responded to 40 wildfires across Greece, the spokesperson said.
Authorities have advised people to remain on alert these days as high temperatures in several regions may increase fire risk there.
Over the past few weeks, the Fire Brigade has responded to dozens of wildfires fronts every day. Greece experiences numerous wildfires each summer in connection to heatwaves and arson.
This year, two people have lost their lives in wildfires while 20 were reported dead last year. ■
