egs777slot|Wildfire breaks out near Greek capital, settlements evacuated

ATHENSegs777slot, June 20 (Xinhua) -- A wildfire broke out at the outskirts of Koropi, a suburban town in east Attica region, near Athens, forcing the evacuation of at least two settlements, Greek authorities said Wednesday.

The wildfire started near a boat parking yard, Greek national news agency AMNA reported, and eyewitnesses told Xinhua that the blaze had reached the yards of a few homes.

No injuries were reported. Dozens of firefighters assisted by 10 water-dropping planes and helicopters were battling the flames against strong winds blowing in the area, a Greek Fire Brigade spokesperson told a press briefing.

Greece suffers from many wildfires every summer due to high temperatures, heatwaves linked to climate change and arsonists. Twenty people lost their lives in 2023 as a result of the wildfires.

Due to unusually high temperatures in spring and June, authorities have said that the risk will be high this summer.■