Greece Combats Wildfires for Second Day with International Assistance
Greece continues to fight wildfires that have destroyed homes and prompted evacuations for a second consecutive day. Support from Czech firefighters and Italian aircraft is anticipated later on Sunday.
Flames spread across the Peloponnese region west of the capital and on the islands of Evia and Kythera on Sunday morning. Aircraft and helicopters resumed operations at dawn in multiple areas.
Meteorologists indicated strong winds fueling the fires would weaken in most places, but Kythera remains under threat due to persistent windy conditions.
Authorities sent evacuation alerts early Sunday to residents of Kythera, located near the southeastern edge of the Peloponnese, as the fires showed no signs of slowing.
"Homes, beehives, and olive groves have been destroyed," said Kythera's deputy mayor, Giorgos Komninos, in a statement to local media. "A monastery is currently at immediate risk," he added, noting that half the island had already burned.
Dozens of firefighters, aided by three helicopters and two planes, were working to contain the blaze on Kythera, which began on Saturday and forced tourists to evacuate a well-known beach.
Greece sought assistance from European Union partners, with Czech units already deployed and two Italian aircraft expected to arrive Sunday, officials stated.
Authorities confirmed that eleven regions in Greece still face an extreme fire threat.
Efforts continue in multiple parts of the Peloponnese, while outbreaks persisted overnight on Evia, close to Athens. There, fires have consumed vast forest areas and caused the deaths of numerous livestock.
On Crete, fires that ignited Saturday afternoon and damaged four homes and a church were mostly under control, according to reports.
Greece has experienced a prolonged heatwave, with temperatures exceeding 40°C (104°F) in many places, though cooler conditions are expected starting Monday.
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