Smoke from several wildfires covered the Greek capital Athens on Sunday, and severe weather warnings were issued for the rest of the week.

This summer, hundreds of fires broke out across the country. June and July were the hottest months on record.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis cut short his holiday and returned to Athens on Sunday evening to help manage the situation.

Where are the most recent fires?

One of the largest fires raged in the town of Varnavas, about 35 kilometers north of Athens in the East Attica region.

Fire officials said a force of 250 firefighters, supported by 67 vehicles, 12 firefighting aircraft and seven helicopters, was on duty while residents were ordered to evacuate.

Fire department spokesman Vassilis Vathrakogiannis told reporters some of the flames were over 25 meters high.

Late Sunday, firefighters said they had ordered the evacuation of several towns, including the historic Marathon near Athens.

Marathon, which today has a population of around 30,000, is considered the site of a famous military victory of the Athenians over the Persian Empire in 490 BC.

Early Sunday afternoon, another fire broke out in nearby Megara, triggering an evacuation alarm.

48 firefighters with 13 vehicles and additional volunteers were deployed on site, while several aircraft and helicopters provided air support.

In Thessaloniki, a fire in the town of Lagadas was partially brought under control; 20 firefighters, ten vehicles and a helicopter were on site.

Later Sunday, firefighters said they had extinguished 33 of the 40 fires that had broken out in the previous 24 hours.

Half of Greece on alert

In several other regions of Greece, the highest level of alert for forest fires was declared on Sunday and Monday.

The country’s Civil Protection Minister Vassilis Kikilias warned on Saturday that half of the country was under a high-risk warning due to high temperatures, gusts of wind and drought.

Kostas Lagouvardos, head of research at the National Observatory of Athens, urged a rapid response to any fires as they could quickly get out of control due to the extreme weather conditions.

“What makes the situation so dangerous is the persistent drought and the very high temperatures that persist for a long time,” he told state broadcaster ERT.

With wind speeds of up to 90 kilometers per hour expected in some areas, Sunday will likely be the most difficult day for firefighting, Lagouvardos said.

Greece is particularly vulnerable to fires in the summer. After experiencing its first heatwave in June, the country is experiencing daily fires during this time of year.

Scientists warn that climate change caused by carbon dioxide emissions is worsening the length, frequency and intensity of heat waves around the world.

mm, msh/rmt (AFP, Reuters)