ATHENS—Firefighters battled a wildfire northeast of the Greek capital for a third day on Tuesday, trying to prevent a blaze that scorched thousands of hectares of pine forest from spreading further.
The fire near Athens started in Kalamos, a coastal holiday spot some 45 km (30 miles) northeast of the capital, and spread to three more towns, damaging dozens of homes. A state of emergency was declared in the area.
“We are trying to contain the active fronts and the main priority is the protection of human life,” fire brigade spokeswoman Stavroula Maliri told a press briefing.
A firefighter walks on a field as flames rise during a wildfire near the village of Kapandriti, north of Athens, Greece, August 15, 2017. Reuters/Alkis Konstantinidis
