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Greece remained on high alert for wildfires on Saturday as major blazes continued to burn across the country, while a fire flared up again in France.<\/p>\n
Large parts of Greece face the highest wildfire risk, with civil protection authorities declaring the highest alert level, red, for the greater Athens region.<\/p>\n
The situation was most critical around 60 kilometres north-west of the capital, where flames were advancing along a front several kilometres wide. Hundreds of people were brought to safety by boat, according to media reports.<\/p>\n
Fires were also raging on the Peloponnese peninsula. A fire service spokesman said crews were battling blazes at 73 locations on Friday evening.<\/p>\n
Another major fire broke out west of Athens, prompting the precautionary evacuation of the suburb of Dasos as thick smoke and flames threatened the densely populated area.<\/p>\n
Large fires also continued to burn on Crete. Although conditions there had eased somewhat, strengthening winds threatened to fan the flames again and were severely hampering aerial firefighting operations.<\/p>\n
In the southern French department of Var, between Marseille and Cannes, a wildfire flared up again and spread rapidly on Friday, forcing some 2,500 people to evacuate.<\/p>\n
Around 1,000 hectares were scorched within several hours, according to the prefecture. Authorities said late on Friday that 720 firefighters were deployed.<\/p>\n
France and neighbouring Spain have been fighting to contain a series of severe wildfires fuelled by high temperatures and dry vegetation, with scientists pointing to climate change as the driver for more intense, frequent fires.<\/p>\n
Elsewhere in Europe, Turkey has also been battling major blazes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n