In pics | Dozens evacuated from hospital as Greece wildfires rage for fourth day

At least 18 suspected migrants were found dead on Tuesday (August 22) in a forest fire raging in northeastern Greece, said a fire department official.

Meanwhile, dozens of patients were evacuated from a hospital onto a ferry after out-of-control wildfires continued to rage near the Greek port city of Alexandroupolis for a fourth day.

The blaze also continued to spread in the Greek islands of Evia and Boeotia in central Greece, which has since prompted the evacuations of several villages. 

Wildfires were also reported on the island of Kythnos and in Viotia in central Greece. Later on Tuesday, Civil protection ordered the evacuation of Ano Liosia in northwest Athens, a district of over 25,000 people. 

 

Fire brigade spokesperson Ioannis Artopios, as per AFP said that the 18 bodies were found in a rural area south of the village of Avantas in northern Greece, in a region bordering which is Turkey is said to be a frequent entry point for migrants. 

"Given that there have been no reports of disappearances or missing residents from the surrounding areas, the possibility that these are people who entered the country illegally is being investigated," said the fire brigade official. 

He added, "Searches throughout the entire area where the fire broke out are ongoing." 

Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou expressed her deep sorrow over the finding and issued a statement that said, "We must urgently take effective initiatives to ensure that this bleak reality does not become the new normality."

The Greek fire department reported that more than 60 fires have erupted in the past 24 hours and six countries were sending help via the European Union's civil protection mechanism. 

While the firefighting efforts across Greece continued, the flames were reportedly fanned by gale-force winds and high temperatures sent plumes of smoke above the Alexandroupolis. 

"The situation is unprecedented, weather conditions are extreme," Artopios told state TV, adding that the Tuesday fires "grew to gigantic size" in a short space of time.

According to a report by the National Observatory of Athens, over 40,000 hectares were destroyed due to wildfires in three days (between August 19-21)

Image shows smoke billowing behind the Parthenon ancient temple on top of the Acropolis hill as a wildfire rages on the outskirts of Athens on August 22, 2023. 

At least 65 patients had been evacuated from the University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, on early Tuesday as a precaution onto a ferry  – turned into a makeshift hospital – in the port, while others were reportedly taken to other hospitals in northern Greece. 

Among those evacuated were newborn babies and intensive care patients. The flames also approached another clinic at the premises of the Alexandroupolis Metropolitan Church Foundation which has also been evacuated. 

Father Christodoulos Karathanasis, director of the Holy Metropolis of Alexandroupolis, as per Reuters said 200 patients from both facilities had been evacuated in just over four hours.

More than 200 firefighters were battling the flames supported by four aeroplanes and three helicopters in Alexandroupolis and nearby areas, reported the Associated Press.

Meanwhile, 56 firefighters arrived in Greece from Romania on Tuesday and Athens was expecting further assistance from the Czech Republic, Croatia, Germany and Sweden with 64 more firefighters, 19 fire engines, seven planes and one helicopter, said the Greek fire brigade. 

According to reports, the blaze spread to the lower slopes of Mount Parnitha, the largest forest bordering Athens, and prompted officials to shut down the nearest section of the Athens ring road. They have also advised residents to stay indoors.

Meanwhile, out-of-control flames continued to spread unchecked in northeastern Greece's Evia and Kythnos, the region of Boeotia north of Athens, in the Peloponnese and in western Greece.

Image shows a firefighting vehicle during a wildfire in Chasia in the outskirts of Athens on August 22, 2023.

In the village of Avantas, fires swept through a number of homes overnight. "It has reached the entire village," said Alexandros Chrisoulidis, a 19-year-old resident of the village. "Our own house up there, where the fire started, has completely burned down. There is nothing," said Chrisoulidis. 

Meanwhile, later Tuesday, fires near Athens intensified burning homes and cars and forced residents to flee on foot, reported Reuters. Some covered their faces with their clothes as smoke thickened the air. 

Image shows firefighters and volunteers trying to tackle a wildfire burning in the village of Hasia, near Athens, Greece August 22, 2023. 

Parts of Southern Europe have been hit by a new heatwave with temperatures reaching or exceeding 40 degrees Celsius as wildfires also continued burning in Spain, Italy and Portugal. 

While wildfires in Greece are common during summers they have been exacerbated in recent years by unusually hot, dry and windy conditions that scientists have linked to climate change.

According to meteorologists in Greece, very hot and dry conditions which increase the fire risk will persist until Friday. 

Image shows a firefighting helicopter preparing for a water drop as a wildfire burns near the village of Avantas, Greece, on August 21, 2023.