Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the devastating fires around Greece reveal “the reality of climate change”.

“If there are even few people who have reservations about whether climate change is real, I call on them to come here and see.”

In Ilia, he looked on as flames threatened Ancient Olympia, the birthplace of the Olympic Games, while closer to Athens flames engulfed settlements, destroying homes.

A large fire that started in Varybombi, Mount Parnitha, has now spread to the north and east, raging out of control and reaching the national highway at Afidnes towards Agios Stefanos on Thursday night.

The fire has crossed the national highway five times, despite the Hellenic Fire Brigade’s efforts.

READ MORE: Greek fire fighters battling raging blazes across the country all night

Police are shutting traffic at Agios Stefanos junction in the direction of Lamia, and at Ippokratous Street from Lakkaginis store in Kiouka to evacuated Ippokratios Politia where a fire front is heading.

Flames engulfed homes in Politia and Afidnes, east Attica.

Zones are being created to prevent the fire from heading to Agios Stefanos, and firefighters on foot were working by themselves after help by 10 helicopters and 7 airplanes had to stop by nightfall, while another two Swedish aircraft arriving through the RescEU emergency assistance programme have been grounded in Poland because of the weather.

High temperatures have exacerbated the situation, and fire brigade officials said the power of the flames have created local wind channels fanning the rapid spread of flames.

The 112 fire emergency number sent evacuation messages to residents of Polydentri and Kapandriti, calling on them to move towards Varnava and Nea Makri, while residents from Kryoneri, Kokkinovrachos and Afidenes were asked to head towards the Athens-Lamia national road. Evacuees from Ippokratios Politia, were asked to head to Oropos. Another message sai told those at Pefkofita and the Pontian Settlement of Agios Stefanos to head towards Athens via the Athens-Lamia highway.

READ MORE: Greek firefighters battle to bring 118 blazes under control, including at Ancient Olympia and Evia

Firefighters went from house to house ensuring that residents evacuated the area.

A night of agony took place in Messinia near Vlachopoulos where the first homes have already been engulfed at Anthea, Ancient Thourea, near Kalamata. In the region, flames travelled all the way to the village of Karnasi.

 

Aid from European countries is being sent to Greece to strengthen the three main fire fronts in Attiki, where the Athens capital is located as well as Ilia in the Peloponnese and the island of Evia.

Cyprus provided Greece with 40 firefighters in Varybombi and two water dropping airplanes in Crete.