A fast-moving wildfire in the Akraifnio region of Viotia (Boeotia) prefecture north of Athens prompted a major firefighting operation on Monday after strong winds pushed flames toward the Athens-Lamia national highway, forcing traffic restrictions.
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The blaze broke out shortly after midday and rapidly expanded, descending from nearby mountainous terrain toward the country’s main north-south motorway. Before authorities halted traffic, vehicles were seen driving through smoke and flames near the affected stretch of road.
Traffic was diverted onto service roads between the Thebes and Kastro interchanges while firefighting operations were underway.
Authorities deployed 118 firefighters, six specialized ground crews and 27 fire engines to battle the blaze. Air support included 11 firefighting aircraft and three helicopters, one of which was coordinating aerial operations.
At 3:32 p.m., emergency authorities issued a 112 alert warning residents and travelers in the area about the wildfire and urging them to follow official instructions.
The fire brigade placed units across central Greece on general alert, a measure that was also extended to the Attica region as authorities brace for elevated wildfire risk linked to strong winds and adverse weather conditions.
The mobilization came after firefighters had already contained a separate wildfire that broke out earlier Monday in agricultural land near Eleonas, outside Thebes. That blaze was brought under control before threatening residential areas. Thirty-seven firefighters, ground crews, aircraft, a helicopter and municipal water tankers participated in the operation.
The latest incidents come as Greece enters the peak summer fire season under heightened preparedness measures. Over the past week, authorities have repeatedly warned that strong winds and rising temperatures are creating dangerous conditions across much of the country. Civil Protection officials have expanded preventive patrols, increased aerial surveillance and maintained high readiness levels in several regions following a series of early-season wildfires that tested firefighting resources and prompted precautionary alerts to residents.
