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A monastery was evacuated on Tuesday, August 13, because of a major forest fire fanned by strong winds, which broke out at dawn on the island of Euboea, and whose fumes reached Athens.
The fire broke out shortly after 3am (00h UT) on the roadside but quickly spread to the very dense and very dry vegetation of the center of the island of Euboea, a hundred or so kilometers away. kilometers north-east of Athens, under the effect of gusts of wind.
The monastery of Panagia Makrymallis was evacuated as a precaution and the villages of Agrilitsa, Kontodespoti and Makrymalli are on standby, waiting for a possible evacuation, according to the SKAI TV channel.
" Everything is ready in case it is necessary to evacuate the villages. Their evacuation can be done in a few minutes. We are perfectly prepared, "said SKAI TV Fani Spanos, the new regional governor of Central Greece, responsible for coordinating efforts.
The official said, however, that the fire was not yet under control and was spreading in an " inaccessible area of land forces ". The 80 or so firefighters on site, assisted by some 40 vehicles, were assisted by two helicopters and a water bomber plane.
As a result of the strong winds, the acrid fumes, characteristic of pine forests, were pushed to neighboring regions, Magnesia or Attica and Athens, where locals and tourists could feel them.
(with AFP)