Firefighters Battle Wildfire on Greek Island for Second Day

Firefighters on the Greek island of Skyros worked through a second straight day on Sunday to stop a forest fire that broke out the day before. The blaze forced people in two small communities to leave their homes. Officials said they hoped to fully put out the fire before the day was over.

Skyros Mayor Kyriakos Antonopoulos spoke to state TV and offered some hope. "Within the day I believe the fire will be fully extinguished," he said. He also said that by Sunday, no neighborhoods where people lived were in direct danger from the flames. Extra firefighters were rushed to the island from nearby areas to help with the effort.

Nearly a dozen aircraft and helicopters worked alongside about 100 firefighters on the ground. Kostas Tsigas, a leader of fire service officers, said crews were working hard in a tough part of the island. "Fire commandos equipped with machinery and excavators are trying to clear a path in a difficult area," he said. He added that he hoped the situation would improve during the day.

Strong winds had blown through the night, making it impossible for water-bombing planes to fly safely. When the winds calmed down at sunrise, the aircraft were finally able to get into the air and drop water on the fire. A long streak of gray smoke had been visible over the city of Athens on Saturday evening and could still be seen at noon on Sunday.

Skyros is a mountainous island about 110 kilometers northeast of Athens. It is part of a group of islands called the Sporades and covers about 209 square kilometers. The island is home to around 3,000 people and is a popular place for tourists in summer.

Greece has seen many large wildfires since late July, driven by unusually strong winds. In total, 34 separate fires broke out across the country in just 24 hours. Five firefighters have died this year, including a Danish pilot killed when two helicopters collided in midair near Athens.

Last week, about 500 tourists had to be evacuated from beaches on the Halkidiki peninsula when a fire threatened two popular resorts. So far this year, around 20,000 hectares of forest and farmland have burned. Greece was on its highest wildfire alert this weekend, as beaches and islands were packed with local and foreign visitors.

Experts say wildfires in Greece are getting worse each year because of climate change. Rising temperatures caused by human activity have made droughts and extreme weather more severe. Greece is hit by wildfires every summer, and scientists warn the problem is likely to keep growing.