Greece's largest active forest fire was burning out of control for the fifth day near the city of Alexandroupolis in the country's northeast, while authorities were trying to prevent a blaze on the northwestern fringe of Athens from scorching homes and reaching the Parnitha national park, one of the last green areas near the Greek capital
Over the last three days, 209 wildfires have broken out across Greece, fire department spokesman, Ioannis Artopios, said Wednesday morning
The blazes, fanned by gale-force winds and hot, dry summer conditions, have led authorities to order the evacuations of dozens of villages and the main hospital in Alexandroupolis
Although gale-force winds were gradually abating in many parts of the country, the risk of new fires remained high
Firefighters searching recently burnt areas in the Alexandroupolis region discovered the bodies of 18 people believed to be migrants in a forest Tuesday. Another two people were found dead on Monday, one in northern Greece and another in a separate fire in central Greece
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