The blazes that began Sunday near the village of Varnava, some 35 kilometers north of Athens, raged out of control on Monday and spread panic as flames reached densely populated neighborhoods which haven’t experienced wildfire in decades.
The charred body of a 64-year-old woman was found inside a factory in the neighborhood of Vrilissia, around 14 kilometers from central Athens.
Wildfires are frequent in Greece as summers become warmer and drier, though their encroachment on a major urban area is unusual. In 2018, 104 people died in a huge blaze in the seaside town of Mati close to Athens, while fires killed more than 20 people last year.
Authorities will remain on high alert until at least Thursday with strong winds expected to blow and temperatures set to reach up to 40 degrees Celsius.
