Firefighters Attempt to Extinguish Fires Near Athens

Authorities in Greece issued evacuation orders for residents in two areas near Athens on Sunday as dozens of firefighters worked to control blazes fueled by strong winds and high temperatures. More than 190 firefighters were seen trying to extinguish a fire that reached homes near the town of Varnava, located about 35 kilometers north of the capital, late in the afternoon. Support teams arrived with 40 trucks, 11 water-dropping planes, and five helicopters. Additionally, other firefighting teams battled a fire in a forested area near the town of Megara, west of Athens. The fires caused thick brown smoke to rise over parts of Athens. Several other regions in Greece were under high alert in anticipation of fire risks on Sunday and Monday. Hundreds of wildfires have broken out across Greece this summer, which has seen record temperatures in June and July following the warmest winter the country has experienced. Scientists attribute the hot and dry weather in Mediterranean countries to climate change.