Travel advice for holidaymakers heading to Greece this summer has been updated by the government. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCO) has updated advice for people warning of wildfires around the capital Athens.
Officials in Greece are warning of a very high risk of fires in Attica, Kythera, south Evoia, Argolis, Korinthia, Lakonia, Samos, Ikaria, Chios, Psarra.
The FCO advice says: "Forest fires often occur during the summer months across Greece due to the dry/hot weather. Since 19 July there have been ongoing wildfires in Attica, including some northern suburbs of Athens, Markopoulou (close to Athens International airport), and Megara.
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"Given current weather conditions (extreme heat and high winds), Civil Protection authorities are warning of very high risk for fire in Attica, Kythera, south Evoia, Argolis, Korinthia, Lakonia, Samos, Ikaria, Chios, Psarra. In the case of wildfires, the situation on the ground can change quickly, so you should stay up to date with official advice and alerts by subscribing to the Civil Protection’s SMS or email service, or via “112 Greece” on twitter".
Hundreds of fighters have continued to spend Wednesday tackling a large wildfire threatening hillside suburbs outside Athens for a second day. Hundreds of residents were evacuated overnight.
At least two people were admitted to hospital with breathing problems and minor burns, while local officials said several houses had been burned in the fire around Mount Penteli, 25 kilometres (16 miles) north-east of the Greek capital.
“The conditions are very challenging. The priority was to safeguard human life, critical infrastructure and private property,” fire service spokesman Yiannis Artopios said. He said winds of up to 80 kilometres per hour (50mph) were making air support difficult for fire crews.
Greece has avoided the heatwave that is currently afflicting countries in western Europe, but fire officials say that hot and dry conditions that have lasted for weeks, as well as longer-term temperature rises, have increased the overall risk of forest fires.
Five water-dropping aircraft and four helicopters were operating on Wednesday at the fire north of Athens, officials said, adding that more than 600 people have evacuated from their homes so far. More than 1,300 square kilometres (500 square miles) of land was damaged by wildfires in Greece last year, the worst damage recorded since 2007.
Thousands of holidaymakers are expected to travel to Greece at the weekend as schools break up. Temperatures in the country are currently very high with highs of 38C in Athens forecast over the weekend, and 36C in Corfu.
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