Two people have died after a large wildfire burned through forestland near a popular holiday resort in Greece.
Around 350 firefighters and eight water-dropping aircraft brought the blaze under control near Xylokastro in the southern region of Peloponnese, around 93 miles southwest of Athens.
Villages near the seaside town were evacuated overnight after the fire broke out on Sunday.
Reports suggest the two men who died rode into danger on a motorbike to help a friend protect his flock of sheep from the wildfire.
Constantina Dimoglidou, Greek police spokesman, said the recovered bodies were severely burnt and that laboratory tests were necessary for their identification.
The fire service has launched an investigation, the Greek Citizen’s Protection Ministry said.
Strong winds blew through woodland left tinder-dry by a warm spring and hot summer.
As summer temperatures continue to rise across Europe, wildfires are an annual blight to Greece. Over the past few months alone, authorities have had to cope with more than 4,500 wildfires.
Buildings in the suburbs of Athens were left gutted after deadly flames reached the capital this August.
Firefighters in Attica, central and western Greece and Peloponnese have been placed on red alert.
The Foreign Office has issued a warning to British holidaymakers in Greece to beware of wildfires.
Source Agencies
