Two people have lost their lives after a wildfire swept through a forested settlement in northern Greece, according to the country’s fire brigade.
The blaze ignited in bushland on Tuesday afternoon and rapidly spread, driven by powerful winds, until it consumed a home near the village of Liti — located roughly 25 kilometers, or about 16 miles, from the northern city of Thessaloniki. Local media reported on the destruction.
Firefighters working to extinguish the flames discovered the body of a man near the house, and upon entering the structure, found a second victim inside. A woman who sustained burn injuries was pulled to safety from the same location.
Before the fire reached the settlement, authorities had ordered residents to evacuate and directed them to gather at a nearby playing field.
Greece, along with other nations bordering the Mediterranean Sea, is considered one of the world’s most vulnerable regions for wildfires. Scientists point to a rapidly warming climate as the driving force behind increasingly destructive fire seasons during hot, dry summers.
