A new forest fire broke out on Tuesday at the foot of Mount Parnés, 30 kilometers north of Athens, forcing the authorities to close as a precaution part of the highway connecting the Greek capital to the north and south of the country, firefighters announced.
Read also: Greece, hit by "the worst heatwave" for more than 30 years, fights from all sides against fires
Greek civil protection has sent messages to residents of the town of Varympompi, located on Mount Parnés, to keep them alert.
Some media reported that dozens of children had been evacuated from a nearby summer camp as a precaution.
The Varympompi area, which is near the former royal palace of Tatoï, includes an equestrian center, monasteries and factories.
More than 100 firefighters mobilized
A total of 104 firefighters, 35 trucks, five helicopters and four water bombers are mobilized in Varympompi, according to Greek firefighters.
Since last week, Greece has been hit by the worst heatwave in more than 30 years, with temperatures expected to reach 43 degrees Celsius this week in parts of the country.
Many fires have broken out since last week across the country: in the Peloponnese (southwest), 3,000 hectares were devastated last weekend before the fire was controlled on Sunday evening. Another fire on the tourist island of Rhodes continues to burn a forest since Sunday, the firefighters are still struggling to contain it.
