Wildfire spreads near Athens amid scorching heat, prompting evacuations orders

(LONDON) — Wildfires were burning Monday morning near Athens amid scorching temperatures throughout Greece, emergency and weather officials said.

Government officials warned of an high fire hazard in several areas, including the Athens peninsula and the Boeotia region northwest of it.

Both areas were among those where the risk category was raised to five, meaning there’s an extreme risk of fire, weather officials said in a statement released Sunday.

Officials issued on Monday evacuation orders for several towns north and northwest of Athens, including Anatoli, Daou Penteli, Nea Penteli and parts of Dione, according to 112 Greece, the country’s emergency hotline.

More than 250 people were evacuated with the help of police officers near Athens, the Greek Police said on social media. About 380 officers were working in the area, with dozens of vehicles and two-wheelers, police said.

Local emergency responders were notified they should be “on increased civil protection readiness in order to face any fire incidents immediately,” the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection said.

Temperatures near Athens were expected to climb on Monday to about 95 degrees, before spiking to about 100 degrees on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the Hellenic National Meteorological Center.