Greece has been hit by a new wave of wildfires, with 39 new fires registered in different areas of the country within a few hours, the fire service announced.
The worst situation is on the island of Salamis, near Athens, where a large fire has spread to a vegetation area. The island is also home to the largest base of the Greek Navy, but authorities have said the flames pose no threat to the base.
Numerous firefighting forces have been deployed to extinguish the fire, while firefighting planes and helicopters have also been involved in the operation. Volunteers are also on the ground assisting the emergency teams.
Greek authorities have raised the alarm over the risk of wildfires, as the ongoing drought has created favorable conditions for the spread of flames across much of the country.
The situation has been made worse by high temperatures. In central Athens, temperatures reached 40 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, and the heat wave is expected to continue until early next week.
Civil protection services continue to monitor high-risk areas, while firefighting teams are on standby to intervene in the event of further spread of the fires.
