Greece Firefighters Tame Wildfire Near Athens

Greece firefighters tame wildfire near Athens

(Reuters) -A Greek blaze burning near a village northeast of Athens appeared largely contained, a Reuters witness and fire brigade officials said on Monday.

About 140 firefighters assisted by 38 engines and 18 aircraft continued operations to bring the blaze, which was burning through a thick forest, under full control but the situation had improved, a fire brigade official said.

The flames earlier forced the evacuation of residents from the village of Ano Souli, some 40 kilometres (25 miles) from Athens, and the nearby town of Marathonas.

A Reuters cameraman said that by early afternoon local time the fire no longer seemed to be spreading.

The absence of heavy winds, which often complicates firefighting in Greece in the warmest months of the year, had helped efforts to tame the blaze, the fire brigade official said.

Sitting at Europe's hot southernmost tip, Greece has felt the economic and environmental impact of frequent wildfires and floods in recent years that scientists say has been exacerbated by a fast-changing climate.

The country has spent hundreds of millions of euros to compensate households and farmers for damage related to extreme weather and acquire new and modern firefighting equipment to deal with wildfires.

Greece has hired a record number of firefighters this year in anticipation of a difficult fire season.

One of Europe's largest wildfires on record burnt for weeks in northern Greece in 2023, killing at least 20 people.

Last year a destructive wildfire spread down from a mountain to built-up areas on the edge of Athens, forcing residents to flee.

(Reporting by Stamos Prousalis, Angeliki Koutantou and Antonis Pothitos; Editing by Gareth Jones and Barbara Lewis)