Athens, Greece, June 30, 2019 – Wildfires are raging simultaneously across the country, with firefighting efforts underway near the capital, Athens, on June 30, but high winds are making it difficult to contain the fires.

Greece recently experienced its warmest winter on record, with temperatures reaching 44°C and its earliest ever heatwave, and is predicting a severe wildfire season this year.

According to firefighting sources, wildfires broke out in more than 40 places across the country on the 29th, when strong winds of over 27 meters per second were observed.

Evacuation orders were issued for eight districts near the capital Athens after two large wildfires broke out in the southern region of Attica on the 30th.

“The situation is extremely serious with continuing strong winds. The fires are not slowing down and are burning in many places,” the mayor of the local government in the southern tip of Attica told the Athens Macedonian News Agency (AMNA).

A fire service spokesman said Friday was “the most difficult day for the fire service so far this year”.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, in his weekly Facebook post on the same day, called for thorough preparations for fire prevention, saying the more severe wildfire season was yet to come. (c)AFP