Thousands of visitors starting to arrive in Athens for Posidonia were greeted to thick plumes of smoke rising skywards over the seaside southern parts of the city.
A wildfire raging on the hills that overlook the Athens Riviera suburbs of Glyfada, Voula and Vouliagmeni forced local authorities and firefighters to order residents to evacuate homes adjacent to the flames.
Posidonia party venues and major visitors’ hotels directly by the sea do not seem to be directly threatened by the flames so far.
The blaze probably erupted after a power grid sub-station threw sparks on a tinder-dry hill of low vegetation at upper Glyfada.
Faulty power lines are a frequent cause of such blazes in Greece.
Six firefighting planes, as well as several vehicles, helicopters and dozens of firefighters on foot were battling the fire. Their work, however, is made difficult by high winds blowing in the area.
Tourists and visitors staying at seaside hotels could observe firefighting service helicopters hovering above the sea to pick up water that was dropped on flames a few minutes later.
According to Greek websites, some hillside residences and flat blocks have already fallen prey to the flames. However, no resident or firefighter have been injured in the blaze so far.
The fire emerged during the weekend before the official start of Posidonia, exhibition and conference that typically draws the shipping industry to Athens, though it has been delayed as a result of the pandemic.
The event opens at the Athens Metropolitan Expo on Monday.
