A major wildfire erupted north of Athens on Tuesday, threatening numerous residences and businesses built over the decades amid what were pine forests extending north and west of Mt. Dionysos, one of the peaks surrounding the Greek capital.
Gusty winds and temperatures expected to exceed 40C this week have plunged most of southern Greece into a "red zone" for potential wildfires, such as Monday's, which erupted in the Stamata township, veered through the adjacent Rodopolis settlement and towards Mt. Dionysos to the southeast.
ΓΕΝΙΚΉ ΓΡΑΜΜΑΤΕΊΑ ΠΟΛΙΤΙΚΉΣ ΠΡΟΣΤΑΣΊΑΣ
The speed in which flames swirled through the brush and pine trees of the site was eerily reminiscent of a July 2018 wildfire that wiped out the coastal Mati settlement in eastern Attica prefecture (the greater Athens area) and cost the life of more than 100 people, including many children.
By the afternoon, public safety and civil protection authorities in the country said the wildfire's fronts were under control.
Additionally, four men detained in the wake of the wildfire on suspicion of arson were later released by police.
