Greece's worst wildfire this year spread into the Athens suburbs on Monday, forcing hundreds of people to flee as it torched trees, homes and cars overnight and choked busy roads with smoke and ash. - REUTERS
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00:00Just eight miles from the Athens city centre, this is Vrilisia, engulfed in smoke.
00:10Greece's worst wildfire this year spread into the capital's suburbs on Monday.
00:14Hundreds have been forced to evacuate as the fire torched trees, homes and cars overnight.
00:21Fanned by gale force winds, firefighters say flames had reached the deepest into the capital
00:27for more than two decades.
00:29Around 700 firefighters and volunteers, 190 fire engines and 33 water-bombing aircraft
00:37have been battling the blaze that broke out on Sunday afternoon 20 miles north of Athens.
00:43France, Italy and the Czech Republic are expected to assist with aircraft and firefighters.
00:48Spain, Cyprus and Turkey have also offered to help, a Greek government official said.
00:54Some residents in the hilly and wooded outer areas of Athens, like Pendalli, have stayed
00:59to try and protect their own properties.
01:01It hurts.
01:05We have grown up in the forest.
01:07We feel great sadness and anger.
01:10This man crashed his car as he tried to escape the flames.
01:13I couldn't see.
01:17I hit a pine tree and this is what happened.
01:20Summers in Greece have long been marked by wildfires, but hotter, drier weather linked
01:25to climate change have made blazes more frequent and intense.
01:29Greece experienced its warmest winter on record and is on track for its hottest ever summer.
01:35Large areas of the country have seen little or no rain for months, and temperatures are
01:40forecast to reach over 100 degrees Fahrenheit later in the week.