Residents of Nea Penteli instructed to evacuate

Residents of Nea Penteli, a suburb located in northeastern Athens, have been instructed by the 122 emergency alert system to evacuate toward Halandri. 

Hundreds of firefighters backed by more than 30 water-dropping planes are battling a major forest fire raging out of control Monday on the northern fringes of the Greek capital. 

Hospitals and residential suburbs have been evacuated.