The forest fires in Greece continue to rage and the capital Athens is getting closer and closer.
Suspected arsonists have now been arrested there.
Athens - In Greece, the violent forest fires are spiraling out of control.
North of Athens, the fire spread on Saturday, August 7th, eastwards to Marathon Lake, the largest water reservoir in the capital.
Strong winds were expected for the day.
Forest fires in Greece: autobahn near Athens closed, refugee camp evacuated
Even the highway that connects Athens with the north of the country was closed on Saturday as a precaution.
Nearby refugee camps have been evacuated.
On Friday evening, the ARD reporter Natalie Amiri reported on Twitter: “The fires are getting stronger again.
This area was considered under control.
We have to leave the area, the fire is moving towards us.
Everything gets out of control so quickly. "
On the island of Evia, more than 1,300 people had to be ferried from the coastal town of Limni, which was surrounded by flames, during the night.
More than 20 other people were evacuated from Rovies beach on Saturday morning, according to Greek media.
Forest fires in Greece: 600 square kilometers burned
On the Peloponnese peninsula, hundreds of hectares east of the ancient site of Olympia, in the regions of Magne and Messinia, were also burning.
More than 5000 residents and tourists were forced to flee the fire in Magne.
According to initial estimates, a total of at least 60,000 hectares or 600 square kilometers of area have been burned in Greece so far.
This was reported by the state broadcaster ERT, citing the National Observatory Athens.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis promised quick reforestation at the fire brigade headquarters in Athens: "When this nightmarish summer is over, we will repair all damage as soon as possible."
Two people were killed in the fires in northern Athens on Friday.
In the Athens suburb of Krioneri, the police arrested a 43-year-old for alleged arson, as the Greek news agency ANA reported.
A woman was arrested in a park in Athens with two lighters, gasoline and flammable materials.
Forest fires in Greece: Greens are calling for help from the federal government for affected areas
In Germany, in view of the threatening situation, the Greens in the Bundestag are calling for rapid aid for the affected areas. You criticize that Germany has not yet sent any aid to Greece. "The federal government should take part in aid measures for Greece within the framework of the current free capacities," said Franziska Brantner, Greens spokeswoman for European policy at the dpa. "In addition, we Greens have long been calling for the federal government to purchase a fire-fighting aircraft for Germany, but also for European solidarity."
In Turkey and Italy, too, people are grappling with severe forest fires. A German-Turkish couple was killed by the fire. The unusual heat wave of 40 to 45 degrees favors the fires, which are largely due to arson or carelessness of people. In Italy, the mafia apparently also has a hand in it.
(md with dpa and AFP)
