Kathmandu— On Sunday, two Greek fire brigade helicopters collided mid-air near Athens while battling fierce wildfires. The accident occurred in the Psatha area west of the capital, with one helicopter exploding and crashing to the ground. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis warned that 'extremely difficult' days lie ahead as winds up to 100 kilometers per hour continue to exacerbate fires.

Fatalities and Evacuations

Three firefighters have died in recent days while battling blazes across Greece. In the Peloponnese region, nearly 500 firefighters worked to prevent a fire from reaching the western outskirts of Athens after it scaled a mountain overnight. Greek police footage showed officers urging residents to evacuate door-to-door in Agios Nektarios village. On Friday and Saturday, firefighters evacuated 266 people by sea.

Weather Conditions

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis warned that the winds blowing at up to 100 kilometers per hour make it extremely difficult for firefighting aircraft to operate safely. Nikos Georgopoulos from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki said, 'We could not believe what we were seeing; the fire spread extremely rapidly.' The National Observatory's climate tracker meteo.gr estimated that over 6,500 hectares had been burned in separate fires around the Gulf of Corinth.

Arrest for Arson

A 44-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of deliberately starting a new fire late Saturday on Cephalonia island. The incident highlights concerns about human-caused ignition sources amid natural disasters.

(With inputs from DW)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.