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Greece is struggling to contain four major wildfires within its borders as firefighters are stretched thin and homes are evacuated.
The newest fire began Saturday morning on the island of Lesbos, forcing local authorities to evacuate hundreds from homes and an exclusive resort. Authorities relocated 450 people for that fire alone, while three others continue to burn on the Grecian mainland.
Roughly 50 firefighters, 17 fire engines and nine fire-fighting aircraft were combating the blaze as of Saturday, fire service spokesman Yannis Artopoios told reporters.
The remaining fires are in Western Macedonia, the Southern Peloponnese region, and in the northeast Dadia national forest near the Greece-Turkey border.
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A firefighter tries to extinguishes a forest fire near the beach resort of Vatera, on the eastern Aegean island of Lesvos, Greece, Saturday, July 23, 2022. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis)
Firefighting aircrafts load water from the sea during a forest fire near the beach resort of Vatera, on the eastern Aegean island of Lesvos, on Saturday, July 23, 2022. Locals were evacuated on Saturday as a wildfire threatened properties near a beach in the southern part of the island, which is also a popular tourist attraction. (AP Photo/Panagiotis Balaskas)
The latter is the largest blaze, requiring a herculean effort to contain. The nation’s fire service has devoted 320 firefighters, 68 fire engines, 18 fire-fighting aircraft to combat the flames.
More than 200 lumberjacks have also been tasked with clearing large swaths of forest to halt the fire’s spread.
Fire burns next to houses in the area of Drafi east of Athens on Wednesday, July 20, 2022. Hundreds of people were evacuated from their homes late Tuesday as a wildfire threatened mountainside suburbs northeast of Athens. Firefighters battled through the night, struggling to contain the blaze which was being intensified by strong gusts of wind. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
A firefighter aircraft drops water over a forest fire as smoke rises near Vrisa village, on the eastern Aegean island of Lesbos, on Sunday, July 24, 2022. A fire that broke Saturday morning on the Greek island of Lesbos prompted authorities to call for the evacuation of the Vatera resort on the south side of the island. (AP Photo/Panagiotis Balaskas)
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While another fire had threatened the ancient city of Athens earlier this month, authorities announce the blaze was under control last week.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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