Forest Fires Raging In Greece With Flames Threatening City Of Megara

ATHENS, Aug 2 (Bernama-dpa) -- Greek firefighters continued to battle a large-scale wildfire west of Athens on Sunday. 

Hundreds of emergency responders were on the scene all night in the Kithairon Mountains, supported by military vehicles, volunteers and heavy equipment, reported German news agency dpa. 

At daybreak, firefighting planes and helicopters resumed their operations, state broadcaster ERT reported.

The flames spread rapidly at times due to strong winds. The areas of Veniza and Psatha have been particularly hard hit.

Emergency responders said the fire is continuing to move eastward and is now only a few kilometres from the city of Megara, about 50 kilometres west of the Greek capital. According to official reports, at least 500 firefighters are battling the flames, including crews from Romania and France. 

A fire department spokesman stated that 13 people have been arrested nationwide so far on charges of negligent arson.

A major wildfire is also raging on the island of Cephalonia. However, ERT said that no towns there are currently under immediate threat. 

Local media reported the wildfires on Crete have largely been extinguished. Several towns were ordered to evacuate. Up to 200 homes have been destroyed, according to media reports, though there has been no official confirmation of this figure. 

Approximately 10,000 hectares of land in the north-west and west of the Athens region have been destroyed by the current fires, according to an estimate by a meteorologist published by the news portal Protothema.

--BERNAMA-dpa