Dozens of wildfires torch Greece, including areas near Athens

Aug. 4 (UPI) -- Greek firefighters are being called upon to douse dozens of wildfires across the Mediterranean nation, including areas near the capital of Athens.

Officials say there are more than 80 fires burning in Greece on Wednesday. Some of the fires are burning along Greece's border with North Macedonia and on the islands of Evia and Kos.

High temperatures, strong winds and dry conditions are behind the the quick spread, officials added.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and civil protection chief Nikos Hardalias inspected fire damage in Varibobi in north Athens on Wednesday, where a large blaze destroyed homes and sections of forest.

So far, no deaths have been attributed to the wildfires.

"These fires in suburban forests are an absolute nightmare," Mitsotakis said, according to Ekathimerini.

"Thank God there has been no loss of life and the evacuation system worked perfectly. Our vital infrastructures held."

Authorities said a fire in northern Evia burned about 150 homes and Fanis Spanos, the regional governor of Central Greece, has asked Athens to declare a state of emergency in the region of the island.

Argyris Liaskos, deputy mayor of Elymnioi, said nearly 5,000 acres of forests on Evia had been blackened by early Wednesday.

Dozens of residents in northern Athens became ill and required hospitalization due to smoke and an ongoing heatwave.

Greek health minister Vassilis Kikilias, who visited Sismanoglio General Hospital in Vrilissia Tuesday, said emergency services received dozens of calls from residents about difficulty breathing.