(ANSA-AFP) - ATHENS, AUG 7 - Thousands of tourists and
residents were evacuated and a thick cloud of smoke and ash hung
over Athens Saturday as forests fires that have already killed
two people raged for an 11th day in parts of Greece. At least
1,450 Greek firefighters were battling the infernos along with
15 aircraft, with reinforcements arriving from other countries,
the fire service said. The blazes are set to continue with
strong winds and temperatures of up to 38 degrees C (100 F)
forecast in some regions on Saturday. Greece and Turkey have
been fighting devastating fires for more than a week as the
region suffers its worst heatwave in decades -- officials and
experts linking such intense weather events to climate change. A
UN draft report seen by AFP labelled the Mediterranean region a
"climate change hotspot" and warned that heatwaves, droughts and
fires would become more fierce in the future, supercharged by
rising temperatures. The Greek fire service said Saturday blazes
were raging in the Attica peninsula that includes Athens, in
Evia, the country's second largest island and located east of
the capital, and the Peloponnese region in the southwest.
(ANSA-AFP).
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