Greece Is Battling a Massive Wildfire

On Saturday, Greek authorities ordered the evacuation of two villages on the island of Evia and deployed dozens of firefighters, planes and helicopters to battle a massive wildfire in the area.

A statement from the Greek firefighting department said 88 firefighters and volunteers were working to extinguish the blaze, with eight firefighting planes and six helicopters also deployed to assist.

Strong northerly winds have also sparked new fires, the firefighting department said.

Greece and other Mediterranean countries lie in a region that scientists consider at high risk of wildfires, which are common during the hot, dry summer months. In recent years, they have become more destructive as a result of a rapidly changing climate, prompting calls for a new approach.

(Reuters)