Thousands evacuate as fires threaten Athens

Authorities have ordered at least five more communities to evacuate and two hospitals to northeast Athens, as they had earlier ordered the evacuation of residents from eight villages, including from Marathon on Sunday.

Marathon Mayor Stergios Tsirkas said that the town, from which the long-term footrace race has taken its name, is facing <x0) Biblical disaster”.

A 30 - mile [30 km] long wall of fire, and in some places up to 25m high, it is moving toward Athens, according to the public broadcaster. ERT.

Eight people are hospitised after breathing troubles, and authorities have opened the Olympic Stadium north of Athens to accommodate the evacuees.

“Civil Protection Forces have been working all night, and despite superhuman efforts, fire has spread at a speed of”, said fire spokesman Vaslis Vathrakoganis.

Fire destructions bring the July 2018 fire to memory when 104 people died. The tragedy later told them that the blame was because evacuation orders were delayed.

The fire season during this summer in Greece has caused dozens of fires on daily grounds, while the state recorded the hottest winter and June and the hottest July since it started collecting data in 1960.

Temperatures around Athens are expected to reach 39 degrees Celsius on Monday, as winds blow up up to 50 km per hour.

More than 670 firefighters with 183 vehicles and 32 aircraft are committed to extinguishing the fires.

A day earlier, Civil Defence Minister Vassilis Kikilias said the state is in high danger due to high temperatures, strong winds and severe drought.

Scientists have said that fossil fuels are worsening the length, frequency, and intensity of hot waves worldwide.

Other parts of the world are also facing fires as parts of Europe face high temperatures this week. /rel/