Athens, 13 August 2024 (dpa/MIA) — Emergency services in Greece were battling the country's biggest wildfire of the year on Monday, with multiple flash points burning across some 200 square kilometres of woodland north-east of the capital Athens. 

Thirteen people with respiratory problems were taken to hospitals due to the dense smoke, and homes in several villages were evacuated.

One firefighter suffered serious burns and another was slightly injured as the wind continued to blow strongly and spark new conflagrations. By midday, 40 new fires had broken out, according to the fire service.

Strong winds continued to fuel the flames along a nearly 30-kilometre-long fire front, Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Vassilis Kikilias said.

Although the first firefighting aircraft was deployed within minutes of the initial outbreak on Sunday, the flames quickly turned uncontrollable due to the winds, the minister said.

Some 700 firefighters plus volunteers at work

Nearly 700 firefighters with around 200 fire trucks were deployed, along with hundreds of volunteers, 16 firefighting aeroplanes and 17 firefighting helicopters.

"The very strong winds of force 7 are making our work more difficult," said a spokesperson for the fire service.

"At the moment, our lines of defence are in the regions to the east of the city of Marathon and in the area around the municipality of Penteli, where the fire is particularly dynamic."

The situation is extremely difficult, stressed Kikilias, who informed citizens about the situation on television. 

The spread of the fires was driven not only by strong winds, but also the persistent drought conditions and the impassable, wooded terrain, the minister said.

EU member states sending help

EU member states are sending aid to Greece to help battle the massive wildfire, as the Greek government requested the activation of the European Civil Protection Mechanism, which helps EU countries respond to emergencies.

The first helicopter from France was due to arrive Monday evening, according to media reports.

Italy plans to send two fire-fighting aircraft by Tuesday and 75 firefighters with 25 vehicles are on their way from the Czech Republic.

A team from Moldova is already on site, while Turkey has also offered help and support from Spain is also expected.

More wind forecasted for Tuesday

The winds were expected to pick up again on Tuesday and continue for days.

The police continued to evacuate threatened houses and villages, in some cases against the will of the residents. Television footage showed how some people refused to leave their homes. In many cases, it was older people who did not want to evacuate, despite the visible danger.

"We could just see the wall of flames in the distance and suddenly the fire was there," a resident who managed to get to safety told reporters.

People were being urged not to return home even if their area is supposedly fire-free. There is a risk of being suddenly surrounded by flames, and it is also important to keep roads and homes clear for the work of the fire brigade, the authorities said.

In general, residents in the east of the affected region of Attica were asked to be ready for a possible evacuation of their homes.

Athens was also on standby, with several hospitals being prepared to take casualties.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis interrupted his holiday and returned to the city for a briefing on the situation from the crisis team.