Firefighters hope to contain blaze on outskirts of Athens

Firefighters in Greece are hoping to contain a wildfire on the outskirts of Athens burning for a fifth day, with easing winds enabling the use of vital aircraft.

"Today, more than 30 aircraft will be deployed in the area," enabling access to difficult mountain terrain, fire department deputy spokesman Yiannis Artopios told state TV ERT.

Over 500 firefighters were deployed in villages around Mount Kithairon, some 60km northwest of the capital according to the fire service.

"We want to keep the fire in a controlled situation," Mr Artopios said.

Large areas affected by the fire still contained active or smouldering hotspots requiring constant monitoring, as even a strong gust of wind could trigger fresh outbreaks, the spokesman said.

"It's a huge area and there could be a flareup again at any moment," he said.

The greater Athens area and the neighbouring island of Evia remained under near maximum fire risk today according to the civil protection ministry.

The wildfires have claimed the lives of five firefighters since last week.

On Sunday, two Bell helicopters collided while operating on the western outskirts of Athens, killing a Danish pilot and his Greek co-pilot.

Three other firefighters died in Crete and the Peloponnese last week.

Other fires across the country, including one on the Ionian island of Cephalonia, had largely been contained, the Greek fire service said.

"I would say that it is definitely one of the worst fire crises I've seen in the past, maybe eight to ten years," Theodore Giannaros, a senior wildfire meteorologist at the National Observatory, told AFP.

Winds at the end of July were the strongest in 15 years, the observatory has said, adding that more than 13,000 hectares of forest and agricultural land have been affected in the fire near Athens, which broke out Friday.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has warned that Greece faces "extremely difficult" days ahead as high temperatures and dry conditions continue to fuel fires.

Like much of the Mediterranean, Greece has experienced increasingly frequent and intense wildfires that scientists link to climate change.

More wildfires, droughts due to high pressure systems

Head of Climate Information at the World Meteorological Organisation John Kennedy said heatwaves in Europe will continue to be longer, more intense and frequent "as long as we keep emitting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere".

He said high pressure systems have led to more wildfires and droughts across Europe.

Extreme heat is forecast for parts of western Europe again this week, as government's scramble to deal with the impact of prolonged periods of very high temperatures.

In Greece, firefighters are battling a major wildfire heading towards the capital Athens, while Italy is putting nearly all of its major cities on the highest "red" alert for high temperatures.

Countries including Hungary and Romania have expressed serious concerns for their energy infrastructure, as the Danube River drops to a record low level.

Mr Kennedy said the heat that started in the spring has continued through June and July, with records being broken, noting all-time records set in France, Germany and Spain.

Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Mr Kennedy said: "There are a number of factors that contribute to these heatwaves … we have these blocking situations where high pressure squats over the continents.

"Once that high pressure gets established, it can last for days or even weeks."

This high pressure leads to both high temperatures and low rainfall, which combine to see some of the impacts, including wildfires and droughts.

Mr Kennedy said some of the heatwaves are being followed by intense rainfall, which they break down in thunderstorms.

"We are getting a combination of extreme heat and extreme rainfall, these things can exist together, but we don't necessarily see them at the same time every summer," he said.

He said the World Meteorological Organisation provides data as well as forecasts and projections so that European governments can make informed decisions around infrastructure.