Wildfires spread west of Athens as Greece battles extreme winds

Greece is facing a second week of wildfires as hot, dry conditions and strong seasonal winds continue to drive flames across parts of the country. The main blaze began in Western Attica, west of Athens, and firefighters have been working in difficult conditions to contain it. Authorities said gusts known as the Meltemi reached 80 to 100 km per hour in some areas, helping the fire spread quickly. Fire crews resumed aerial water drops once winds eased on Monday. The fires have also turned deadly. Two firefighters, a Danish pilot, and a Greek fire service official died after two helicopters collided in the Western Athens region on Sunday. Two other firefighters aboard the second helicopter survived and were taken to hospital.