A wildfire that destroyed two industrial plants and forced the overnight evacuation of three villages and a care facility near Thessaloniki has been largely contained and no longer has an active front, the fire service has said.
A total of 160 firefighters, supported by 52 fire engines, five ground crews, two aircraft and two helicopters, remain at the scene in Oreokastro, a suburb of the city.
The blaze is now confined to a forested area, where firefighters are concentrating on preventing flare-ups at two factories destroyed by the fire—a recycling plant and a textile factory. Crews are carrying out continuous dousing operations to cool hotspots around the sites.
Aerial water drops are expected to continue throughout the day to reduce dense smoke, limit the release of potentially hazardous substances into the atmosphere and prevent new outbreaks.
Authorities said thick black smoke continued to rise from the destroyed recycling plant, while the nearby textile factory was also consumed by the fire.
