ATHENS: Greek firefighters on Wednesday struggled to contain unco­nt­rolled fires throughout the country for a fifth day, several of them bordering an acrid, smoke-filled Athens.

In the last two days, 19 people believed to be migrants — including two children — have been killed in forest blazes.

Hundreds of firefighters were battling on two major fronts, one near Athens and the other in northeastern Greece, in addition to several other smaller fires.

One fire fanned by strong winds ripped thr­ough the foothills of Mount Parnitha, the largest forest adjoining the capital, burning near the outskirts of a national park.

The European Comm­ission said 246 firefighters, 40 vehicles and eight air­cra­ft from eight member states had been sent to help.

Evacuations were ord­ered on Wednesday morning for several settlements on the outskirts of the capital, including three nursing homes.

The blaze damaged homes in the northwestern Athens district of Menidi, and briefly threatened an army camp. A migrant detention centre in Amyg­daleza was also evacuated.

Another fire in Boeotia, north of Athens, came perilously close to a UNESCO-listed Byzantine monastery. Greek firefighters have battled over 350 fires over the last five days, including over 200 in the last 48 hours, Kikilias said.

Unfounded rumours and allegations have also been spreading rapidly on social media blaming migrants for responsibility for the outbreak of the fires.

Greece’s Supreme Court Prosecutor on Wednesday ordered local officials to investigate both the causes of the catastrophic fire and alleged claims of racism towards migrants.

Published in Dawn, August 24th, 2023