One dead as Greek wildfire eases in Athens suburbs, but high winds expected

Aftermath of the wildfire in the Penteli area near Athens, Greece, August 13, 2024. REUTERS/Alexandros Avramidis

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece's worst wildfire of the year killed one woman and continued to burn on the outskirts of the capital Athens on Tuesday, although lighter winds and firefighting efforts helped reduce its intensity, authorities said.

Hundreds of firefighters backed by six waterbombing aircraft battled the blaze that broke out on Sunday near the village of Varnavas 35 km (20 miles) north of Athens.