Greece continues to battle wildfires that have ravaged homes and forced evacuations for a second consecutive day, with Czech firefighters arriving to assist and Italian aircraft expected to join the efforts, AFP reported.

Blazes are raging in the Peloponnese region west of the capital, as well as on the islands of Evia and Kythira. In the early hours of the day, planes and helicopters resumed operations in several parts of the country. Meteorologists forecast a weakening of the strong winds fueling the flames in most areas, but warn that conditions on the island of Kythira remain “worrying.”

The island, located southeast of the Peloponnese, received evacuation alerts as fires there showed no signs of abating. “Houses, beehives, and olive trees have burned,” Deputy Mayor of Kythira Giorgos Komninos told local outlet ERT News. He added that a monastery is in immediate danger and that half the island has already been scorched.

Dozens of firefighters, supported by three helicopters and two aircraft, are battling the blaze on Kythira, where the outbreak forced the evacuation of a popular tourist beach. Greece has requested assistance from its European Union partners. According to the fire service, two Italian planes are expected, while Czech crews are already on the ground.

The risk of wildfires remains high in 11 regions of the country, authorities said. Firefighters are operating in several areas of the Peloponnese, and on the island of Evia, near Athens, new flare-ups were reported overnight. Fires there have destroyed large forested areas and killed thousands of farm animals.

On the island of Crete in southern Greece, fires have damaged four homes and one church, but according to the latest reports, they are largely under control.

Greece is enduring nearly a week of heatwave conditions, with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius in many regions. Relief from the extreme heat is expected in the coming days. | BGNES