Firefighters in Greece on Thursday evening were battling a reignited wildfire that has triggered a series of new evacuations.
At the same time, authorities braced for more of the exterme weather that has brought scorching temperatures aross southern Europe.
Authorities had declared the wildfire contained but firefighters lost control later on Thursday when the winds gathered strength.
Earlier on Thursday, fires in an area west of capital as well as the island of Rhodes and in Lakonia in southern Greece that had been beaten back in recent days grew bigger again, forcing authorities to evacuate more villages.
“Our forces are facing a big resurgence in West Attica, Rhodes and Lakonia,” Fire Service spokesman Ioannis Artopoios told a televised briefing.
On Rhodes, firefighters were battling a blaze from both the air and land that erupted on Tuesday in a densely wooded mountainous area, forcing people to flee.
The country had just recovered from the first major heatwave of the summer before temperatures rose again on Thursday, reaching 40C in some areas.
The meteorological service warned of a heightened risk of fires from Friday when the mercury was expected to rise further and reach a maximum of 45C over the weekend.
Fires are common in Greece, but hotter, drier and windy summers have turned the Mediterranean into a wildfire hotspot in recent years.
(REUTERS)