Firefighters in Greece are battling to contain a blaze near Athens when flames threatened to ravage Olympia, the birthplace of the Olympic Games. On the Greek island of Evia, at least 150 houses were destroyed by a violent blaze that surrounded a monastery. About 150 fires are raging in the country as a result of strong winds fanning temperatures as high as 40 degrees C across the country.
In Evia, locals were gathered on a beach and rescued via boat after large flames leapt up from the forest and turned in a blaze that became difficult to control. Firefighters say that three monks from Saint David Monastery had refused to leave, but, everyone else from the villages nearby was evacuated. Two helicopters and four water-bombing planes have been mobilised to put out the fires.
Dimitris Vourdanos, deputy governor of the region, told AFP, “We are completely unable to intervene by air or by land”.
“There are two main fronts which are uncontrollable and several other smaller ones,” he said.
Around 160 firefighters, with water-bombing aircraft, battled to save ancient treasures the archaeological site where the ancient Olympic Games were held.
"We are still fighting a titanic battle on many fronts," Deputy Civil Protection Minister Nikos Hardalias told Reuters. "The next days will be more difficult," Hardalias added
The fires are sending up plumes of dark acrid smoke over Greece.
The fires have also destroyed dozens of houses, businesses, bars and holiday accommodation in the suburb of Varympompi, 30 kilometres northwest of Athens.
