Two firefighters were injured.
Two men lost their lives while helping to extinguish a wildfire in central Greece, local authorities confirmed on Monday, according to reports from Reuters.
The fire broke out on Sunday near the coastal town of Xylokastro on the Peloponnese peninsula, about 120 kilometers west of Athens. Strong winds caused the fire to spread, and hundreds of firefighters, assisted by firefighting aircraft, are battling the blaze.
Residents of five nearby villages were ordered to evacuate. Media reports indicate the charred bodies of the men were found near the village of Elliniko.
On Sunday and Monday, an orange-level fire warning was issued in many parts of Greece due to winds reaching speeds of 50 to 75 kilometers per hour, according to AFP.
Greece frequently experiences wildfires during its dry and hot summer months. Experts suggest that unusually high temperatures, driven by climate change, are worsening these fires. In August, a large fire near the historic town of Marathon, 40 kilometers northeast of Athens, claimed one life and forced thousands to evacuate their homes.
