Greece Orders First Evacuation of Wildfire Season Near Athens
An airdrop of fire retardant in Ritsona, Greece, on May 19.
Photographer: Maria Chourdari/NurPhoto/Getty ImagesGreece ordered its first evacuation of the wildfire season, as temperatures climbed and the wind strengthened.
Traffic was halted and locals roads closed, as a blaze started in low lying vegetation in Anavissos, a town around 46 kilometers (29 miles) southeast of Athens. An evacuation order was issued as 110 firefighters supported by three aircraft and four helicopters tackled the blaze.