Mandra mayor warns of approaching wildfire

The wildfire raging in Dervenochoria, about 30 km north of Athens, is now threatening the town of Mandra (near Elefsina) and settlements around it, its mayor has said.

Christos Stathis, mayor of Mandra-Eidyllia, urged residents to evacuate as a precautionary measure in the face of the approaching fire front, which is estimated to be 20-kilometers long.

He noted that the settlements of Pournari and Nea Zoi were already evacuated as the flames neared the outskirts of Mandra this morning.

He appealed to the authorities to deploy aerial firefighting means and also said there was a lack of firefighting ground forces.  

In a tweet, police said they were making "every possible effort to convince nuns to evacuate a monastery in Mandra which is located near the fire front."

State broadcaster has reported that three homes have already been lost to the...