Wildfires still raging in Greece’s Dadia forest

ATHENS - Major wildfires burning in the Dadia forest area near the Greek-Turkish border are still raging out of control on Saturday, despite two weeks of efforts to contain them, reported German news agency (dpa).

Some 600 firefighters are currently on duty, aided by 122 fire-fighting units, eight fire-fighting planes and two helicopters, Kathimerini reports.

However, they are struggling amid impassable mountaineous terrain and densely forested areas, while strong winds keep starting new fires.

Officials said the danger of forest fires in parts of Greece remained very high to extremely high on Saturday.

The the islands of Euboea, Lesbos and Crete, as well as the Attica region, around the capital Athens are affected, according to the Civil Defence.

The extent of the fires are attributed to global warming, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told Parliament last week.

He said the fires had been preceded in July and August by the hottest, driest and windiest summer since recordings began.

He paid tribute to firefighters sent from across the European Union to help douse the blazes.

He vowed to provide swift assistance to people who had lost their homes, animals or businesses to the fires, and defended decisions to evacuate villages and hotels.

The bodies of 20 suspected illegal migrants have been found in the forest area where the fires continue to burn. - BERNAMA-dpa