Greek wildfires under control after 'greatest ecological disaster in decades'

PM pledges hundreds of millions of euros for recovery as high winds forecast for weekend

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  An elderly resident reacts with anguish as fire approaches her home in the village of Gouves, on the island of Evia, Greece. Thousands of residents were evacuated from Evia after wildfires hit Greece’s second biggest island.

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  People walk along as thick smoke from wildfires creates a haze around the village of Pefki, on Evia.

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  In this satellite image smoke is seen rising high into the sky as wildfires burn north of Athens.

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  A woman cradles a dog as fires approach the village of Pefki, on Evia.

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  A woman and a child sleep in a car on the beach as wildfires rage in Pefki.

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  A firefighter and locals rush to a burning house in an attempt to extinguish fires approaching Pefki.

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  Residents forced to flee from their homes by the flames gather with their pets on the beach at Pefki.

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  A resident looks on as wildfires engulf woodland on Evia.

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  A dog is rescued from the flames in Pefki.

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  Locals and tourists board a ferry to transport them to mainland Greece from the island of Evia.

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  Approaching flames tower over homes as a wildfire burns in the village of Gouves.

Fires in Greece that have burned for 10 days in some parts of the country are at last under control, the country's fire department said.

But high winds are predicted for the weekend, adding to the risk of flare ups.

“As of yesterday, there is no major active front, just scattered pockets,” a Greek fire department spokesman said.

Most of the international force of firefighters in Greece to help tackle the 600 blazes are expected to stay in the short term, civil protection spokesman Spyros Georgiou said.

“They are helping to monitor the perimeters of burnt areas in Evia and Arcadia, which are many kilometres long,” he said.

“Many of them are actually requesting to remain."

The fires destroyed hundreds of homes and businesses on the island of Evia, the Arcadia region and on the outskirts of Athens during the worst heatwave in Greece in decades.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Thursday described the situation as Greece's “greatest ecological disaster in decades".

He pledged hundreds of millions of euros to fund reconstruction, reforestation and flood prevention works.

“Recovery funds will begin to be disbursed in a few days … and they will be greater than ever before, to all those affected,” he said.

After criticism of the government’s response to the crisis, the prime minister said “that this particular phenomenon exceeded our capabilities and the preparations put in place”.

One civilian was killed and another died helping to prepare fire defences. Two injured firefighters are in hospital.

Much of southern Europe is experienced searing temperatures, with devastating fires also spreading across part of Italy and Turkey.

In southern Italy, four people have been killed with more than 500 wildfires reported overnight. On Wednesday, Sicily reported a temperature of 48.8C° which, a European record high.

Prime Minister Mario Draghi said the government would put in place a “relief programme for people and businesses affected, along with a special plan for reforestation and securing the territory".