Strong winds fuel wildfires across Greece, forcing evacuations

Strong winds fueled multiple wildfires across Greece on Friday, forcing hundreds of people to be evacuated by sea while firefighters battled more than 70 wildfires nationwide.



One of the most serious blazes was burning near the village of Xironomi in the regional unit of Boeotia in central Greece, where flames spread toward the coastal settlement of Agios Vasileios, cutting off road access and forcing 254 residents and tourists to be evacuated by sea, Greek national broadcaster ERT reported.



According to the Hellenic National Meteorological Service (HNMS), winds reached Force 9 on the Beaufort scale, with gusts of up to 150 km per hour in some areas. Fire Service officials said the strong winds and rugged terrain were severely hampering firefighting efforts in Boeotia.