Over 60 killed in Greek forest fires
A state of emergency was declared in Greece over the weekend as forest fires swept the country.
In the worst forest fires Greece has seen in decades, the death toll has risen to 63 people.
Since Friday, the destruction has swept through the Peloponnese and other regions.
A massive reward has been offered for information on arsonists responsible for starting the fires. According to the BBC, seven people have already been charged with arson and a further 26 face lesser charges in connection with fires dating back to July.
The latest fires have covered Athens in white ash, forced thousands to flee their villages and burned hundreds of homes and thousands of hectares of forest and farmland.
Hundreds of people took to the streets of Athens in protest over the weekend, some blaming property developers for starting the fires in order to clear their land for development.
On Sunday, firefighters battled to save Olympia as forest fires ravaged hills around the ancient archaeological site.
The fires burned nearby but stopped just before entering the site, according to reports.
The Foreign Office has warned tourists to take extra care when visiting affected areas.
“Very high temperatures and strong winds in Greece have resulted in around 200 serious forest fires over the weekend, mainly in the Peloponnese (the southern part of mainland Greece), Attica (the area around Athens) and the island of Evvia (to the north of Athens),” it said.
“There have been no reports of any British nationals having been involved.”
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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