At least 20 killed: Greece battles second wave of wildfires

At least 20 people have died from extensive wildfires burning across Greece, the second wide scale outbreak in a month.

Of those confirmed to have passed away, 18 are suspected to be migrants caught in a forest fire north of Alexandroupolis close to the Turkish border.

A fresh heatwave has enveloped Greece, which joins gale-force winds in exacerbating the spread of flames, particularly in the northeast and on the islands of Kythnos and Evia.

Around 120 firefighters from across Europe are in the country to help tackle the wildfire, of which at least 60 fresh outbreaks were ignited in 24 hours from Sunday.

Evacuations have been in operation for days, with 13 villages evacuated over the weekend near Alexandroupolis as more than 200 firefighters worked to halt the flames.

Local fire authorities also say that an “extreme fire risk” remains around Athens and southern areas of Greece.

Recent heatwaves have left vegetation in the forests of Greece extremely dry and prone to ignite with ease. Although Greece, like many areas of Southern Europe, see regular wildfires each summer, the volume is growing.

Earlier this year, the tourist hotspot of Rhodes saw more than 20,000 people evacuated due to a separate outbreak of fires.

Hot, dry, and gusty conditions remain in place for the remainder of the week, meaning flames are likely to continue to spread further.