Wildfire in Greek national forest still 'out of control'

ATHENS — A fire that has raged for over a week at the Dadia Forest in northeast Greece, a major European sanctuary for birds of prey, continues to spread despite efforts to contain it, firefighters said on Monday.

"The fire is still out of control," a spokesman for the fire service told AFP, adding that "nearly 500 firefighters backed by 100 vehicles, seven planes and three helicopters are fighting the flames".

The head of the fire spreads for nearly 10 kilometres, according to firefighters on site.

The blaze, which erupted on August 19, is devastating the region of Evros, near the port town of Alexandroupoli and the border with Turkey, forcing the evacuations of some villages.

On Sunday, the EU’s Copernicus climate observatory said on social media that “The burnt area has reached 77,000 hectares with 120 active hot spots”.

The Dadia forest is part of a UNESCO World Heritage national park, with vegetation so dense that the flames at times are impossible for firefighters to see, with water from hoses often failing to reach flames at ground level, experts say.

Since the fire started 20 people believed to be migrants, including two children, have been found dead in the area, part of the Evros region that is a regular entry point for migrants from neighbouring Turkey.

Another dangerous fire continued to destroy vegetation on Mount Parnitha, near Athens, for the sixth straight day, with 270 firefighters on the scene.

They are among several wildfires across Greece this summer that have so far burned more than 120,000 hectares, according to Greek authorities.