The Alexandroupolis General Hospital was evacuated late on Monday as a large fire was approaching the northern Greek city.

Preparations for possible evacuation had been announced earlier by the Fire Brigade spokesperson Yiannis Artopios during a briefing. Patients were evacuated with ambulances provided by the Health Ministry and the help of a large police force stationed in the region for the purpose.

Two separate messages of the 112 emergency service had been issued to residents of Alexandroupolis, a major port and energy hub, alerting them to heavy smoke from fires in the region and ordering them to stay indoors with shut doors and windows.

Cyprus sent 2 Air Tractor aircraft that began operations with daylight, and Romania sent 56 firefighters with 10 fire trucks.

About 130 elderly people were removed from the Ioakimio Nursing Home and the Stavridis ecclesiastical institution for the chronically ill, with the assistance of the Alexandroupolis Municipal Authority.

After 02.00 in the morning, the villages of Dikela, Makri, Nea Chili, Elaionas, Ag. Giorgis, Plaka, Enato and Pefki were also evacuated. The residents and tourists in the area were moving towards Alexandroupolis after a message sent via the emergency number 112.

Wildfires are also raging in Nea Artaki and Psachna, Evia, amid strong winds that make the firefighters' work very difficult.
Dozens of fire brigade vehicles and more than 100 firefighters are participating in the extinguishing effort, assisted by French firefighters.

The night was also difficult for residents in most of the Boeotia coastal front. Throughout the night there were flare-ups, even within residential areas, as strong winds were feeding the fire.