Greece forest fire destroys 4,000 acres; towns, monasteries evacuate

Firefighters are seen Thursday while battling a forest fire in Schino, Loutraki, Greece. The towns of Schinos, Aghia Sotira, Vamvakes, Mavrolimni, Mazi and Paraskevas were evacuated, as well as the Aghios Ioannis Makrinos and Aghia Paraskevi monasteries. Photo by Vassilis Psomas/EPA-EFE

May 21 (UPI) -- Greek firefighters kept up their battle Friday against a forest fire that's blackened more than 4,000 acres and evacuated more than a dozen nearby towns, two Greek Orthodox monasteries and a convent.

The fire started Wednesday west of Athens and close to 300 firefighters, air tankers and water-dropping helicopters have joined the fight over the past two days.

No deaths have been reported.

"We are moderately optimistic that the fire will be contained during the day," Nikos Hardalias, deputy minister of Civil Protection and Crisis Management, said on Friday, according to the Greek Reporter.

The blaze began in the village of Schinos and officials believe it was started by burning vegetation in an olive grove.

One resident called the fire a "total disaster" as vineyards, cottages and crops burned. He said the fire had gotten to within 3 miles of the coastal town of Megara on Thursday.

Fire officials say a number of properties have been destroyed.

Clouds of smoke obscured the view of the Acropolis in Athens on Thursday, according to the meteo.gr weather service. Thick smoke had reached as far away as Ikaria, an island in the eastern Aegean Sea.

Forest fires are common during Greece's hot summers and they're often fueled by drought. A major fire in 2018 devastated two Greek coastal towns south of Nea Makri and killed more than 100 people.