Two people have died and hundreds have been evacuated from the Greek island of Salamina following the outbreak of two wildfires that ignited within minutes of each other. The fires broke out on Sunday near Athens, an area already under a high wildfire risk.
Nearly 200 firefighters, supported by aircraft and 50 fire engines, are working to extinguish the flames and prevent them from converging into a single, larger wildfire. The island's deputy mayor, Thodoris Zannis, stated that efforts are focused on stopping the fires from spreading over a mountain.
High winds are fanning the blazes, which were reported starting at approximately 2:40 p.m. local time (12:40 GMT). The coastguard reported that about 90 people have been evacuated by sea, with five patrol boats and several private vessels assisting in the operation.
Salamina is located west of Athens and is home to approximately 37,000 residents, many of whom are elderly. Firefighters across Europe have been contending with a series of wildfires this past weekend, exacerbated by high temperatures.