EU Deploys Firefighting Units to Greece Amid Wildfires

On Monday, the European Union announced that four member countries will send firefighting teams to Greece following a request for assistance to combat a massive wildfire raging in the suburbs of Athens.

According to a statement from EU spokesperson Balazs Ujvari, the EU Civil Protection Mechanism was activated at the request of Greek authorities.

Italy, France, the Czech Republic, and Romania are contributing units to help manage the crisis.

The wildfire, which has spread rapidly, has engulfed several neighborhoods near the Greek capital, Athens, prompting officials to urge residents to evacuate their homes.

Local authorities reported that about 685 firefighters and 32 aerial units were deployed to tackle the blaze, which began on Sunday near the town of Varnavas, north of Athens, CNN reported.

Emergency teams have been battling what they describe as an extremely dangerous fire for over 20 hours.

The situation has been exacerbated by strong winds, prolonged drought, and challenging terrain in the dense, unburned forests, according to Vassilis Kikilias, the Minister for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection.

Fire services have noted that the blaze shows no signs of diminishing, with 40 new hotspots recorded since early Monday morning.

Firefighters have warned that the wildfires are advancing towards Penteli, nearly 16 kilometers (10 miles) northeast of Athens, with significant intensity.