More than 300 firefighters are still battling the fire in southern Greece

Athens.- More than 300 firefighters are battling this Wednesday, for the second consecutive day, against a large fire that broke out the previous day, Tuesday, in southern Greece and forced the evacuation of some 1,400 people, amid a scorching heat wave that has pushed thermometers up to 45 degrees. The fire in the municipality of Feneos, located on the Peloponnese peninsula (south) and about 118 kilometers southwest of Athens, "is in remission and firefighters are fighting against scattered outbreaks within the perimeter of the fire, without a large active fire front," a Fire Department spokeswoman told EFE.

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The fire broke out in a pine forest near the village of Kastaniá and, fanned by strong winds, spread rapidly south and west, so the authorities had to order the evacuation of six other locations, with a total population of 1,400 people. About 340 firefighters with 75 tanker trucks are operating in the area, while 11 planes and eight tanker helicopters are continuously dropping water to contain the flames, amid strong winds that increase the risk of the fire reigniting. The flames caused serious damage to ten abandoned houses in the village of Kastaniá, while the roofs of another five inhabited houses have also been damaged, after being hit by the fire, according to the broadcaster Skai. Fire Department's Arson Division officers have arrested two men on charges of "negligently causing a fire" because they were carrying out work with cutting wheels and electric welding inside the forest before the fire broke out, according to the same source. It is expected that this Wednesday the two men will appear before a regional prosecutor to testify about what happened. Meanwhile, another forest fire that broke out yesterday near the village of Lingiades, located on the shores of Lake Pamvotida, in western Greece, was brought under control today. The fire burned throughout the night a kilometer away from this town, which ultimately did not need to be evacuated, as the dozens of firefighters operating in the area managed to bring the flames under control. Greece is facing from this Monday the third intense heat wave so far this summer, with temperatures that reached 45 degrees Celsius on Tuesday in several areas and cities in the center of the country, while the thermometer rose to 43 degrees Celsius in the Peloponnese peninsula. According to forecasts, the scorching heat will remain until next Friday.