Greek Island Blazes: At Least Two Dead as Wildfires Spread Rapidly

Fires broke out on a Greek island near Athens on Sunday, resulting in two deaths and an evacuation effort.

Nearly 200 firefighters are working to extinguish the flames on Salamina Island, with officials reporting that the fires spread rapidly due to high winds.

The first blaze was reported at 14:40 local time (12:40 GMT) and has prompted a response from Greek authorities, who have deployed patrol boats and private vessels for assistance.

Five aircraft and 50 fire engines have been sent to the area to combat the fires, which are being closely monitored

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Salamina Deputy Mayor Thodoris Zannis stated that firefighters are working to prevent the fires from spreading over a mountain on the island and forming one major wildfire.

The island has approximately 37,000 residents, many of whom are elderly.

Firefighters across Europe have been battling a series of wildfires this weekend, with multiple incidents reported in Belgium and Croatia.