Greek villages and monasteries evacuated as wildfire damages homes

20 May 2021, 08:24

A wildfire burns houses in Greece
Greece Wildfire. Picture: PA

The blaze is some 45 miles west of Athens, outside the resort town of Loutraki.

A large wildfire in Greece has damaged homes and prompted evacuations as it tore through rugged forest terrain.

Fire service officials said eight water-dropping planes and three helicopters were involved in a bid to try to contain the blaze some 45 miles west of Athens, outside the resort town of Loutraki.

A wildfire burns near a village in Greece
A wildfire burns near the village of Schinos, near Corinth, Greece (Valerie Gache/AP)

Overnight and early Thursday, authorities issued evacuation orders for six settlements, in an area with many holiday homes.

Two Orthodox Christian monasteries were also evacuated.

Firefighters in Greece battle the wildfire
Firefighters in Greece battle the wildfire (Valerie Gache/AP)

No injuries have been reported.

Wildfires are common during Greece’s hot summers.

By Press Association

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