Mass evacuations as wildfires tear through Greece amid 44C heatwave
Greek officials have begun evacuating residents from several villages as five major wildfires continue to rip through the country this weekend.
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Locals just 18 miles north of capital city Athens were told to leave their homes as EU assistance was called in to to deal with the spreading blazes.
The fire originally started in Afidnes, a small town in Attic - the region where Athens is located - before quickly engulfing the villages of Drosopigi, Kryoneri and Agios Stefanos.
High winds and scorching temperatures have kept the flames roaring, with the smell of burning wood carried as far as central Athens.
Fire crews say the main front has been contained, but more than 200 firefighters are still working with helicopters and water-bombing aircraft to extinguish hotspots.
The fire service also said a second fire on the island of Evia has also got "out of control" and is moving quickly towards Afrati.
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The raging infernos come amid a severe heatwave, which is expected to persist through most of the weekend, with temperatures reach 44C on Sunday.
The ongoing emergency has led the Greek government to formally request assistance from the EU Civil Protection Mechanism for six additional firefighting aircraft.
"We have injured firefighters, human lives were put at risk, properties have been burned, and forest areas have been destroyed," Greece's Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Giannis Kefalogiannis said.
The flames have destroyed numerous pylons and power lines, leaving several villages without electricity.
Six firefighters have so far been taken to hospital with burns and smoke inhalation.
Dirfyon-Messapion mayor Giorgos Psathas described the destruction as "incalculable".
Residents in Kythria have also described scenes of "total destruction" after a wildfire engulfed a large part of island.
Several villages have been evacuated, and the coastguard - assisted by private boats - rescued 139 people from Limnionas beach.
A fourth wildfire broke out in the Polithea area of Trifylia in Messinia on Saturday morning.
People from multiple villages have been urged to leave, after five emergency alerts have been sent via Greece's 112 system.
More than 80 firefighters, 30 vehicles and seven aircraft have been tackling the blaze, though their efforts have been hampered by strong winds.
Meanwhile a fifth wildfire is burning in Temenia in Crete's Chania region, destroying at least two homes.
Officials said several regions remained under further fire threats, including the Ionian Islands, Western Greece, the Peloponnese, Central Greece, Attica, Epirus, Western Macedonia (Florina, Kastoria, Kozani), Eastern Macedonia and Thrace (Evros), Thessaly (Magnesia, Larisa, Trikala), the South Aegean (Rhodes) and Crete.