Wildfires force thousands to flee seaside resorts outside Greek capital

A damaged car in front of a burned tree near Loutraki, west of Athens, Greece (Petros Giannakouris/AP)

Wildfires outside Athens have forced thousands of people to flee seaside resorts, closed motorways and gutted holiday homes, as high winds pushed flames through hillside scrub and pine forests parched by days of extreme heat in Greece.

Authorities issued evacuation orders for at least six seaside communities as two major wildfires edged closer to summer resort towns and gusts of wind hit 70kph (45mph).