Hundreds more firefighters deployed to contain 'exceptionally dangerous' fire raging through Greece
Greek firefighting authorities have tripled the amount of firefighters sent to contain an 'exceptionally dangerous' fire with flames at times over 25-metres tall and raging just 44 kilometres north of the country's capital.
Transcript
00:00Roughly 670 firefighters, backed by more than 30 water-dropping planes, have been deployed
00:08to contain a raging wildfire burning through tinder-dry Greece, roughly 44 kilometers north
00:14of the capital.
00:16The fire erupted on Sunday and quickly traveled through Attica's pine tree forests, which
00:20cover a bone-dry landscape suffering from drought and heat waves.
00:25State Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Vassilis Kyklias said it was a particularly
00:30dangerous fire exacerbated by gale-force winds.
00:34In hours, it closed in on towns such as Marathon, with hospitals and other nearby residential
00:40areas evacuated.
00:42Authorities say the flames at times towered more than 25 meters tall.
00:48Half the country has been put on high alert for wildfires, with meteorologists and government
00:53officials warning the danger could last until Thursday.