Two dead and evacuation under way as fires break out on Greek island
Two people have died and a large-scale evacuation is underway on the Greek island of Salamina following the outbreak of two simultaneous wildfires. Nearly 200 firefighters are currently working to contain the blaze, which was exacerbated by high winds and extreme heat.
Why it matters
The incident underscores the increasing frequency and danger of wildfires in Europe due to climate-related heatwaves.
Image source, Reuters Image caption, The fires broke out almost simultaneously on a Greek island near Athens on Sunday
Two people have died and an evacuation is under way after two fires broke out within minutes of each other on a Greek island near Athens.
Fire officials said nearly 200 firefighters were working to extinguish the flames on the island of Salamina and keep them from converging, Greek media report.
The first blaze was reported at 14:40 local time (12:40 GMT) and spread rapidly due to high winds, according to officials on the island - which was under a high wildfire risk on Sunday.
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