Communities evacuated amid wildfire near Athens as heatwave hits Greece

Firefighting planes drop water while battling a blaze in the seaside area of Palaia Fokaia, south of Athens. Picture: Giorgos Delveroudis/AP

A large wildfire has broken out south of Athens, prompting authorities to send phone alerts urging the evacuation of five communities near the blaze as temperatures approached 40C in Greece’s first heatwave of the summer.

About two dozen water-dropping planes and helicopters were providing air support to 130 firefighters battling the blaze in the Palaia Fokaia seaside area south of Athens, the fire department said.