A video shared by police in Greece shows residents outside Athens evacuating their homes as a massive wildfire rages in the distance.
ATHENS, Greece – Hundreds of firefighters in Greece are working to contain a massive wildfire that ignited near Athens over the weekend, and officials are pleading with residents to flee to safety as intense flames devour homes and scorch trees that line the historic landscape.
ATHENS, GREECE- AUGUST 12: Smoke rises over Parthenon temple during a wildfire near Athens, Greece, on August 12, 2024. (Photo by Costas Baltas/Anadolu via Getty Images)
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The Greek Ministry for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection has been providing constant updates since the wildfires began and said that strong winds, prolonged drought conditions and the layout of the terrain are making the work to contain and extinguish the flames extremely difficult and dangerous.
HOW THE LAYOUT OF THE LAND AFFECTS WILDFIRE BEHAVIOR
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ATHENS, GREECE – AUGUST 12: A man evacuates his house during a wildfire in Dione near Athens, Greece, on August 12, 2024. A major fire that broke out Sunday in the northeastern town of Varnavas in Greece’s Attica region continues to rage, forcing residents of nearly 10 villages to evacuate in the very early hours of Monday after many homes were damaged, local media reported. (Photo by Costas Baltas/Anadolu via Getty Images) ( )
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ATHENS, GREECE – AUGUST 12: A wildfire burns the forest in Dione near Athens, Greece, on August 12, 2024. A major fire that broke out Sunday in the northeastern town of Varnavas in Greece’s Attica region continues to rage, forcing residents of nearly 10 villages to evacuate in the very early hours of Monday after many homes were damaged, local media reported. (Photo by Costas Baltas/Anadolu via Getty Images) ( )
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ATHENS, GREECE- AUGUST 12: Smoke rises over Parthenon temple during a wildfire near Athens, Greece, on August 12, 2024. (Photo by Costas Baltas/Anadolu via Getty Images) ( )
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This photograph shows the Parthenon temple atop the Acropolis hill in a smoke cloud from a wildfire, in Athens on August 12, 2024. On August 12, 2024, Greece’s civil protection authorities ordered the evacuation of several towns in the north-eastern suburbs of Athens, threatened by a violent fire that started the day before and is spreading. (Photo by Angelos TZORTZINIS / AFP) (Photo by ANGELOS TZORTZINIS/AFP via Getty Images) ( )
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A burning car during the East Attica wildfire in Varnavas, northeast of Athens, Greece, on Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024. A number of wildfires broke out in Greece on Sunday including in areas close to the capital, with large parts of the country placed on a state of red alert. Photographer: Nick Paleologos/Bloomberg via Getty Images ( )
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A firefighter works to control the East Attica wildfire in Varnavas, northeast of Athens, Greece, on Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024. A number of wildfires broke out in Greece on Sunday including in areas close to the capital, with large parts of the country placed on a state of red alert. Photographer: Nick Paleologos/Bloomberg via Getty Images ( )
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Firefighters are operating during a wildfire in Varnavas, north of Athens, on August 12, 2024. Greece is battling several wildfires on August 11, with smoke covering parts of the capital Athens in a haze, amid warnings for extreme weather conditions for the rest of the week. (Photo by Dimitris Lampropoulos/NurPhoto via Getty Images) ( )
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Firefighters are operating during a wildfire in Varnavas, north of Athens, on August 12, 2024. Greece is battling several wildfires on August 11, with smoke covering parts of the capital Athens in a haze, amid warnings for extreme weather conditions for the rest of the week. (Photo by Dimitris Lampropoulos/NurPhoto via Getty Images) ( )
Nearly 700 firefighters, 27 forest commando teams, 190 vehicles and volunteers are all working to contain a massive fire that broke out Sunday afternoon near Varnava, northeast of Athens.
In addition, bulldozers have been deployed across Attica, the region of Greece that includes Athens, to create fire breaks, and at least 33 aircraft are relentlessly dumping water on the fire from above.
A video shared by police in Greece shows first responders rescuing residents who were trapped as a massive wildfire raged outside Athens on Monday, Aug. 12, 2024.
Hospitals in the region are also on alert, and at least 15 people, including firefighters, have been injured, according to officials.
Communities across the region have also been told to be prepared for the possible evacuation due to the fires, with residents in several towns already told to flee the area.