Greek PM says wildfires are the reality of climate change

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Thursday the wildfires sweeping across the country display "the reality of climate change".

In a televised address, Mitsotakis noted three "huge" blazes still burning near the capital Athens, on the island of Evia, and near Ancient Olympia to the south.

Dozens of villages and settlements were evacuated on Thursday, including a beachside campsite and hotels on Evia, where boats were used to transport stranded vacationers to safety.

A resurgent wildfire burned homes north of Athens and threatened the power supply to parts of the capital after damaging the transmission network, officials said.

Mitsotakis said the coming days will be equally dangerous as westerly winds are expected.

The prime minister said six regions had been placed on red alert and asked all Greeks "to limit unnecessary travel and be extremely careful. If an evacuation order is issued from an area, please comply."

"Houses are being rebuilt and trees will sprout again but human life cannot be replaced," Mitsotakis said.

The Greek leader said the steps taken so far by the state on climate change "are not enough when you have in front of you a natural phenomenon of such magnitude."

A heat wave baking southeast Europe for a second week has also triggered deadly fires in Turkey and Albania.