NEWS

New fire breaks out in Vilia, as blaze in Evia still burns

New fire breaks out in Vilia, as blaze in Evia still burns

A new big fire broke out in in Vilia, northwest of Athens, where a large blaze burned for six days last week ravaging swathes of pristine pine forest, Greece’s fire service said in a new announcement on Monday. 

Shortly after 1 p.m., authorities issued an evacuation order for Vilia as the flames closed in.

Fifty firefighters with 20 vehicles, and two units on foot, along with six helicopters and five aircraft have rushed to the area.

The new blaze, located in the area of Kaza, is being fanned by strong winds. Police has stopped traffic on the Elefsina-Thivon highway near Vilia, on the direction of Thiva.

The deputy governor of western Attica, Lefteris Kosmopoulos, told Skai TV, that the flames form a front of at least 1.5 km, burning in thick forestland.

Meanwhile, a force of 46 firefighters with 20 fire engines, a unit on foot and water-dropping aircraft continued to fight another blaze in southern Evia that broke out on Monday.

The Fire Service said the blaze was largely contained but had not been brought under control. 

Residents in the settlements of Marmari, Kokkini and the doctors’ building cooperative were told to evacuate, with a Coast guard vessel, a private boat and two passenger ships standby in Marmari in case residents needed to flee.

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