As the large wildfire in Athens continues to rage across areas on the outskirts of the Greek capital proper with evacuations ordered and vast expanses of forest land burnt, including residences, the international media are covering the situation extensively with headline reports.
The wildfire in Athens broke out on Sunday in the township of Varnavas in the northeast Attica prefecture and has since rapidly spread southward aided by strong winds to engulf regions on the outskirts of the Greek capital.
Popular online outlets such as the BBC, CNN, Reuters, the Guardian, and Liberation, are covering the evacuations of citizens surrounded by flames by Greek authorities.
American network CNN focused on the fact that evacuations were ordered near Athens as Greek authorities were trying to contain the wildfires. The piece used a central photo of the Acropolis rock shrouded in smoke and maps showing how close the flames are to the Greek capital.
“Thousands of people evacuated as wildfires approach Athens,” reported the BBC, highlighting the situation in the Greek capital against the backdrop of the Parthenon, emphasizing the effects of the strong winds and the area’s terrain.
French newspaper Figaro reports that since Sunday, a race against time has been underway in the suburbs of Athens as a massive fire broke out,” while German outlet Deutsche Welle noted in its headline: “Athens’s suburbs evacuated due to forest fires.”
Italian agency ANSA documented the evacuations of the first eleven areas of Attica, noting that “the flames, fueled by strong winds, are burning trees, houses, and cars.”
The French newspaper Liberation warned of the danger to Athens “after the evacuation of Marathon,” as the fires approach even closer.
“Tens of thousands of residents evacuated due to a massive forest fire outside Athens” was the headline used by the Spanish newspaper El Pais, accompanied by a photo from the front line.
Images of the burning front in Attica were also shared by the Italian newspaper Corriere, emphasizing that “the flames are consuming the last green lung of Attica.”
