Greece battles wildfire on Kos island for second day

Greek firefighters battled a blaze on the islands of Kos for a second day on Tuesday, as hundreds of tourists and locals who had been forced to evacuate overnight returned to their hotels and homes.

As the wildfire reached the seaside village of Kardamaina overnight, people took refuge in a sports centre and other venues, Christos Efstratiou, deputy governor for the Dodecanese islands, told Reuters.

The wildfire had abated by Tuesday morning, letting people return, and there was no damage to buildings, Efstratiou said. Video footage showed tourists waiting in the morning to board buses that would take them back to hotels and rented homes.

Wildfires are common in the eastern Mediterranean country. But hotter, drier and windier weather that scientists link to the effects of climate change has increased their frequency and intensity.

More than 100...