The worst blaze in the town of Keratea on the outskirts of Athens was contained but not out on Saturday, fire brigade spokesperson says.At least one person has been killed while homes and farmland were destroyed as wildfires stoked by ferocious winds broke out across Greece.The worst blaze broke out in the small town of Keratea, southwest of Athens, where firefighters discovered the body of a man in a burned-out structure on Friday.A fire brigade spokesperson said early on Saturday that the fire there was under control but not out, the Reuters news agency reported, as evacuations of at-risk areas continued with strong winds expected to last through the weekend.Greece and other Mediterranean countries are in an area dubbed “a wildfire hotspot” by scientists, with blazes common during hot and dry summers. These have become more destructive in recent years due to a fast-changing climate, prompting calls for a new approach.Much of the region around Athens has had barely a drop of rain in months.More than 200 firefighters backed by 11 water bombers and seven helicopters were deployed to battle the Keratea blaze, Costas Tsigkas, head of the association of Greek firefighter officers, told ERT state television.“It’s a difficult fire,” he said, citing gusts of wind and reporting that several communities had been evacuated.Wind gusts of up to 80 kilometres per hour (50 miles per hour) fanned the flames around Keratea on Friday, setting olive orchards alight. Homes were engulfed as locals wearing face masks assisted firefighters. Police wen …
