![\"Wildfire](\"https:\/\/c.ndtvimg.com\/2023-07\/gtv5oln8_greece-wildfire-reuters_625x300_17_July_23.jpg\"\/ "\\"Wildfire")
<\/div>\nPeople stand near a house, as a wildfire burns in Kouvaras, Greece.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
A wildfire broke out near Athens on Monday as a heatwave grips the country, firefighters said, with several seaside resorts ordered to evacuate as a precaution.<\/p>\n
The blaze started in Kouvaras, 50 kilometres (30 miles) southeast of Athens. “It’s a difficult fire, the winds are really strong” with gusts reaching up to 60 kilometres (37 miles) per hour,” said Yannis Artopios, a firefighters’ spokesman.<\/p>\n
Greece, along with Italy and Spain, has been gripped by a heatwave since last week, with temperatures reaching 44C (111 Fahrenheit) in the centre of the country.<\/p>\n
Seven water-bombing aircraft, four helicopters and 150 firemen backed by 30 colleagues from Romania were fighting the flames on two fronts, local media reported.<\/p>\n
The blaze burnt quickly through brush and spread south toward the Attica region and the resorts of Lagonissi, Anavyssos and Saronida.<\/p>\n
Thick smoke blocked traffic on the roads around Kalyvia.<\/p>\n
The authorities told residents to leave the area and monks were evacuated from a local monastery.<\/p>\n
The domestic press agency ANA said a forest fire had also flared in strong winds near the Isthmus of Corinth close to the popular beach town of Loutraki.<\/p>\n
Precautionary evacuations were ordered at Loutraki too, ANA said.<\/p>\n
In Athens, where the mercury hit 39C on Saturday, the Acropolis, one of Greece’s top tourist attractions, closed during the hottest hours for three consecutive days to Sunday.<\/p>\n
Temperatures are forecast to drop in Greece some 2C-4C by Wednesday, with a new heatwave to follow from Thursday and local highs of 43C, according to the EMY national weather service.<\/p>\n
“We are in the middle of the period of fighting fires and the conditions expected will be particularly difficult and favour forest fires,” said Artopios.<\/p>\n
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n