Firefighters work on a burning area near Loumpa, as wildfires hit West Attica, Greece, Aug 3, 2026. (Photo: REUTERS/Louisa Gouliamaki)
04 Aug 2026 04:50AM
KYRO PIGADI: Flames flared up again in Greece on Monday (Aug 3), as wildfires that have raged west of Athens for four days remained a threat despite easing winds and the deployment of firefighting aircraft.Wildfires that have raged for four days west of Athens remained a threat on Monday, with flames flaring up again despite easing winds and the deployment of firefighting aircraft.Firefighters reported a slight improvement in conditions earlier in the day, but authorities later warned of fresh flare-ups on one of the main fire fronts near Megara, about 30 kilometres (19 miles) west of the capital."The wind has eased in the area, but in Kandyli there are still gusts and currents created by rising hot air, and we are seeing the fire flare up again," Megara mayor Panagiotis Margetis told AFP.For now, there had been no damage to homes or businesses in the villages of Kandyli and Agia Skepi, around 50 kilometres west of Athens, he said.But the fire was "constantly changing direction" and moving closer to Megara's industrial zone, creating a "very dangerous" situation, Margetis told state broadcaster ERT.The fire brigade confirmed that the blaze had intensified on Monday afternoon."That is normal because there are still active hotspots," a fire service source told AFP.
