
Ten tourists drowned when a boat capsized trying to rescue them from gale-driven forest fires which have killed at least 74 in Greece and which may have been started deliberately.

A mother and son from Poland were among the dead when the vessel flipped in the water amid rough seas after picking up guests from a hotel in Mati as forest fires tore through the resort, 25 miles from Athens.

In the same village, a number of holidaymakers and locals were burned alive, some of them trapped in their cars in traffic jams, as hundreds tried to flee the raging inferno, which also devoured more than a thousand homes.

Flames continued to rage as firefighters battled to quell the wildfire at the village of Kineta, near Athens. The blazing fire has so far claimed the lives of 74 people, including a mother and son from Poland

The mother and son from Poland were among the dead when the vessel flipped in the water amid rough seas after picking up guests from a hotel in Mati as forest fires tore through the resort, 25 miles from Athens.

In the same village, a number of holidaymakers and locals were burned alive, some of them trapped in their cars in traffic jams, as hundreds tried to flee the raging inferno, which also devoured more than a thousand homes

Dashing to the water was the only way to escape for most villagers, but some - including families with children found clasped in a last embrace - perished behind a wall of flames and toxic smoke as the 'lightning quick fire' swept from the hillsides to the sea in less than ten minutes.

Charred bodies were found on a narrow road clogged with traffic in the village, which a local mayor said now 'no longer exists'. Some survivors spent fraught hours choking on clouds of ash at the edge of the water as they waited for help and watched their town burn.

In the same resort, horrified officials found 26 bodies, apparently families, huddled tightly together in 'a final attempt to protect themselves'. They were less than 100ft from the sea having apparently made a desperate attempt to escape from their villas - but ended up trapped between fire and cliffs. One girl died as she tried to jump into the water.

Dashing to the water was the only way to escape for most villagers, but some - including families with children found clasped in a last embrace - perished behind a wall of flames and toxic smoke as the 'lightning quick fire' swept from the hillsides to the sea in less than ten minutes. Firefighters have been attempting to tackle the blaze for hours as strong winds make their job harder

150 firefighters were on the site with 74 firetrucks, and were being supported with firefighting planes and helicopter. Despite this strong winds and parched conditions have made for perfect conditions for the wildfire

Officials have asked for US drones 'to observe and detect any suspicious activity' as it emerged 15 fires had started at the same time in three different areas near Athens - possibly by criminals intending to ransack homes once they were abandoned by fleeing residents.

Driven by winds of up to 65mph and 104F (40C) temperatures, the worst Greek forest fires in a decade have been described as a 'national tragedy' and a 'biblical disaster with human losses'. One of the youngest victim was a six-month-old baby who died of smoke inhalation.

At least 74 are dead after a series of wildfires in Greece. The resort of Mati, 25 miles from Athens, has been left devastated and rows of cars were destroyed as fierce fires swept through the area in a matter of minutes

An aerial view shows the devastation caused by the fire which raged through forests outside the village of Mati before consuming hundreds of houses

Dramatic pictures have emerged on social media showing how tourists were forced to take desperate measures to escape the flames

There are reports of tourists retreating to beaches and people drowning in the sea while trying to escape the flames engulfing woodland around the Athens region

In an 'extreme situation' fuelled by winds of up to 65mph, fires ripped through communities in a matter of minutes leaving lines of cars torched and farms and forests charred

Aftermath: There were horrific scenes in the resort of Mati where the bodies of 26 people, apparently families, were found huddled together near a beach having perished trying to escape the wildfires

Fire fighters carry the body of a victim through the streets of Mati this morning as emergency crews sifted through the remains of burnt out cars

At least 74 people have been killed including 26 in one seaside villa and a six-month-old baby as deadly forest fires continue to rip through Greece. This was the scene near Mati as people jumped into the sea to avoid the flames

Firefighters battled through the night as flames descended on the village of Mati (pictured) near Athens in Greece

Dramatic aerial pictures show how fire devastated the village of Mati, leaving only scorched ground where houses once stood

Dashing to the water was the only way to escape for most villagers - but many perished behind a wall of flames and toxic smoke

The two largest wildfires - one 20 miles north-east of Athens near Rafina, the other 30 miles west of the capital in Kineta - broke out on Monday during hot, dry summer conditions. But by the evening it had escalated to a disaster with infernos breaking out either side of Athens.

Hundreds of tourists have been evacuated from beaches in on-going operations today.

A mass evacuation was launched with military vessels, a flotilla of private boats and army helicopters mobilised to rescue those who fled to the harbour in Rafina, while many waited in the sea to be rescued.

'Greece is going through an unspeakable tragedy,' Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, looking pale, said after cutting short a visit to Bosnia. This morning, he declared a three-day national mourning period.

A state of emergency has been declared in western and eastern parts of Attica, the greater Athens area and the Greek government has called on the EU for assistance to battle the devastating wildfires which have left 170 injured.

A hillside of homes was gutted by flames east of Athens. A mayor said he saw at least 100 homes and 200 vehicles burning amid fears the death toll from the disaster will climb today.

By dawn on Tuesday, the fires were still burning around the capital, while others broke out elsewhere during the night. This was the scene as a fire ripped through a building in Kineta near Athens

There were horrific scenes in the coastal resort of Mati where it appeared that cars caught in a traffic jam in Mati had become engulfed in flames. A woman who had reportedly lost her dog breaks down in tears as she stands next to burnt out vehicles in the village

Residents in Mati woke to horrific scenes this morning as it emerged that some had died while trapped in their cars as flames swept through the streets

Pictures have emerged of bodies lying in the streets in the Mati area amid fears the death toll from the disaster will climb further

Helping hand: Volunteers arrive in Nea Makri near Athens with supplies for people caught up in the deadly wildfires today

Donations of bags of food and bottles of water are being distributed in the village of Nea Makri, near village after people were left homeless

The fires broke out either side of Athens with Mati and Rafina the worst hit areas. The death toll is expected to climb today

Brits taken to hospital after dramatic rescue Dozens of Britons staying around Athens have fled the forest fires, it has emerged. British tourists were reportedly among guests staying at the Ramada hotel in Mati who were evacuated overnight. They were pictured carrying suitcases onto coastguard vessels before being transported to nearby Rafina having waited on a beach for hours. Officials said they were taken to local hospitals to asses them and see if they had suffered any injuries in the drama. Hotels are making efforts to find spaces for stranded tourists while a makeshift camp has been set up at a former military base nearby, according to The Times. Advertisement

This morning, the country's fire brigade said the intensity and spread of the wildfire at Mati had slowed on Tuesday as winds died down, but it was still not fully under control.

The service urged residents to report missing relatives and friends.Two major fires had broken out at about lunchtime yesterday ripping through childrens' camps and homes either side of the Greek capital.

By 9pm last night, gale-force winds had fanned the flames which ripped through seaside towns sparking a mass evacuation and creating such thick smoke that motorways had to be shut.

Just after midnight, the first deaths were confirmed - only for the toll to escalate rapidly to at least 20 by 3am.

By dawn on Tuesday, the fires were still burning around the capital, while others broke out elsewhere during the night.

People scrambled to the sea as the blaze closed in close to the shore - hundreds were rescued by passing boats but others, tragically, found their way blocked by smoke and flames.

The scorched bodies of the latest victims were found in groups of four or five, said Vassilis Andriopoulos, a Red Cross rescue worker on site.

Mati is in the Rafina region which is a popular retreat with local tourists, particularly pensioners and children at holiday camps. One woman said that the town 'doesn't even exist as a settlement anymore' after the inferno

The wildfires took people by surprise amid reports that flames swept in so quickly they did not have time to escape. A house is pictured on fire in Neos Voutzas

A woman reacts with horror as she surveys the scene of a burnt out property in the resort of Mati, to the east of Athens

The fire in Mati (pictured) was by far Greece's worst since flames devastated the southern Peloponnese peninsula in August 2007, killing dozens

A helicopter hovers over fires in Kineta, Greece as it drops water as part of desperate attempts to put out fires in the region

Aerial photos show how the worst Greek forest fires in a decade have caused huge clouds of smoke to drift across the country

Another aerial photograph shows how flames came right down to the coastline in Kineta, tearing through woodland and leaving buildings in ruins

A man stands among the charred trees and a burned-out car near the village of Neos Voutzas near Athens this morning

The ragged remains of a Greek flag are seen above a burnt out car in a garage of a house ruined by fire in Mati this morning

People watch as a helicopter picks-up sea water to help fight the wildfires in Mati east of Athens. Wildfires torched more than a thousand homes and hundreds of cars

VICTIMS FLEE FROM FIRE - ONLY TO BE SWEPT OUT TO SEA A survivor has given a dramatic account of how he fled from the fire, swimming into the sea to escape the flames and choking smoke only to get swept away by the current. He was rescued by a fishing boat but saw other members of his group drown. Nikos Stavrinidis had gone to his summer home in the Mati area near Rafina with his wife to prepare it for his student daughter who was coming to stay. Before he knew it, the fire surrounded him. 'It happened very fast. The fire was in the distance, then sparks from the fire reached us. Then the fire was all around us,' Stavrinidis told The Associated Press. 'We ran to the sea. We had to swim out because of the smoke, but we couldn't see where anything was,' he said. There were six people in his group: Stavrinidis, his wife and some of her friends. They swam further out to escape the smoke, but as they did so, they began to be carried away by the wind and the current. They lost sight of the shore and became disoriented. 'We couldn't see anything,' he said. Gale-force winds fanning the flames in the area also hampered firefighting efforts and whipped up the seas. 'We didn't all make it,' Stavrinidis said. One of the women in his group and one woman's son drowned. 'What upsets me and what I will carry in my heart is that it is terrible to see the person next to you drowning and not be able to help him. You can't. That's the only tragic thing,' he said, his voice breaking. 'That will stay with me.' Stavrinidis says he believes they were in the water for about two hours before being picked up by a fishing boat with an Egyptian crew. 'I'm grateful to all of them,' he said. 'They jumped into the sea with their clothes still on. They made us tea and kept us warm. They were great.' Advertisement

Perhaps they were families, or groups of friends, or strangers helping each other in their desperate dash towards the sea which was only 30 or 40 metres away, he said. The groups included young children, he said.

As they fled from the flames, they probably found themselves trapped between the fire and the edge of a 30-metre cliff, rescue workers believe.

A young girl who tried to jump to safety died, a witness reported.

'I was briefed by a rescuer that he saw the shocking picture of 26 people tightly huddled in a field some 30 metres from the beach,' Nikos Economopoulos, head of Greece's Red Cross, told Skai TV.

'They had tried to find an escape route but unfortunately these people and their kids didn't make it in time,' he said. A Reuters witness also saw several bodies in the area.

Andreaas Passios, who lives next to the compound, said: 'Everything happened in seconds. I grabbed a beach towel. It saved my life. I soaked it, grabbed my wife and we ran to the sea.'

Mr Passios said he and his wife stayed by the sea for two hours.

'It was unbelievable. Gas canisters were exploding. Burning pine cones were flying everywhere.'

When the flames died down, Spyros Hadjiandreou came searching for loved ones. My niece and cousin were staying here on holiday,' he said. 'I don't know if they made it out. I don't know if they are OK. I haven't heard from them.'

During the night, an AFP photographer discovered the bodies of four people who were also probably trying to flee the flames, three under a car and one under a motorbike.

Early Tuesday, residents were returning to assess the damage. Some were still searching for missing loved ones.

One woman was looking for her daughter, another for her husband and son - an indication that the death toll may yet worsen.

The main street has turned into a scene of desolation. The pine trees around the houses are blackened, the sea is grey and there's a stench of smoke everywhere.

Firefighters report that the fire progressed at 'lightning' speed, taking residents by surprise.

'I saw the fire move down the hill at around 6pm and five or ten minutes later it was in my garden,' says 60-year old Athanasia Oktapodi whose house, like many here, is surrounded by highly-inflammable pine trees.

'They caught fire. I ran out like a crazy person, got to the beach and put my head in the water. Then the patrol boats came,' she said.

Most survivors stayed put in the water for hours, watching their town burn.

Aleka Papariga, a former Greek Communist Party leader who lives near Rafina, said: 'The police tried to direct us away from the fire, but we couldn't escape it.

Emergency response: A water-carrying helicopter flies overhead as people survey the damage from devastating wildfires in Mati

A woman shows her anguish as she visits the scene of the horrifying inferno in the village of Mati where dozens of cars caught in a traffic jam went up in flames

A ire fighting truck drives through thick smoke as a a wildfire burns in Kineta, near Athens. A massive emergency operation is underway in Greece

Fires were still burning in and around the Kineta area to the west of Athens this morning. More than 300 fire figthers are tackling the inferno in the area

Huge traffic jams formed as holidaymakers and residents took to the roads with the flames closing in on the Kineta area

Pictures show the scale of the inferno which swept through the Rafina area overnight, fanned by strong winds and high temperatures

There were devastating scenes in Mati, east of Athens, today as people arrived to find lines of cars destroyed by the flames

Dozens of cars and houses have been destroyed by the wildfire at Mati. A Reuters photographer saw at least four dead on a narrow road clogged with cars heading to a nearby beach and heard reports of several more casualties

Tourists jumped in to the sea as fire neared packed beaches Tourists have described jumping in to the sea as trees around them burst in to flames next to beaches in Greece. Paulina Corvisier, from Lyon, who was on holiday with her family: 'We ran to the beach. We were all crowded onto the sand and rocks. Then the trees surrounding the beach burst into flames. 'I jumped in the water because I didn't know what else to do. Ash was falling on me from the sky while I was in the water.' Another woman named Cecily, from Paris, on holiday with her daughter, 15, said she drove to the coast when fire came close to their house in Mati. But 500 people were already crammed on to the beach and local fishermen were desperately trying to evacuate them. She told the Telegraph: 'We got in one then were picked up by a military boat which took us to Rafina. All the hotels were full so we slept in the hallway. We booked a flight back to Paris today. We have had no help from anywhere. Advertisement

'We got stuck in traffic and the flames were on top of us. We managed to find a small gap and we made it out.'

A Reuters photographer saw at least four dead on a narrow road clogged with cars heading to a nearby beach and heard reports of several more casualties.

'Residents and visitors in the area did not escape in time even though they were a few metres from the sea or in their homes,' fire brigade spokeswoman Stavroula Maliri said.

One of the survivor described swimming into the sea to escape the flames and choking smoke only to get swept away by the current. He was rescued by a fishing boat but saw other members of his group drown.

Nikos Stavrinidis had gone to his summer home in the Mati area near Rafina with his wife to prepare it for his student daughter who was coming to stay. Before he knew it, the fire surrounded him.

'It happened very fast. The fire was in the distance, then sparks from the fire reached us. Then the fire was all around us,' Stavrinidis told The Associated Press.

'We ran to the sea. We had to swim out because of the smoke, but we couldn't see where anything was,' he said.

There were six people in his group: Stavrinidis, his wife and some of her friends.

They swam further out to escape the smoke, but as they did so, they began to be carried away by the wind and the current.

They lost sight of the shore and became disoriented. 'We couldn't see anything,' he said.

Horrified tourists were seen packing up to leave the town of Mati this morning after fire tore through the resort over night

Two men run through the remains of burnt out cars that were caught in a traffic jam during the fire in Mati, east of Athens

This was the scene in Kineta, near Athens after fired spread from forests and engulfed sun loungers and shades on the beach

This was the aftermath of the fire in Mati after flames ripped through the coastal resort in a matter of minutes overnight

A state of emergency has been declared in western and eastern parts of Attica, the greater Athens area and the Greek government has called on the EU for assistance to battle the devastating wildfires which have left 150 injured amid temperatures of more than 104F (40C)

Cars and buildings were left in charred ruins as flames ripped through the Kineta village area. The death toll is expected to climb today

A man walks through the remains of buildings after the forest fire tore through Kineta village, west of Athens overnight

Hundreds of tourists and residents were forced to wait in the water to be rescued as flames and thick smoke engulfed the area, near Athens

The majority of the casualties were found in their homes or cars in Mati, government spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos said. Eleven people were seriously injured, he added. This was the scene as a house was engulfed by flames in Kineta

Ten drown as rescue boat capsizes Ten people including two from Poland drowned when their boat capsized during evacuation from wildfires in Greece. Janusz Smigielski, deputy head of Poland's Grecos travel office, said two Polish tourists were in the resort of Mati, east of Athens. He said Greek water police were evacuating 45 people from a Mati hotel in boats when one capsized, killing all the passengers. He did not know the nationality of the other victims. The bodies of the Poles have been recovered. Advertisement

Gale-force winds fanning the flames in the area also hampered firefighting efforts and whipped up the seas.

'We didn't all make it,' Stavrinidis said. One of the women in his group and one woman's son drowned.

'What upsets me and what I will carry in my heart is that it is terrible to see the person next to you drowning and not be able to help him. You can't.

'That's the only tragic thing,' he said, his voice breaking. 'That will stay with me.'

Stavrinidis says he believes they were in the water for about two hours before being picked up by a fishing boat with an Egyptian crew.

'I'm grateful to all of them,' he said. 'They jumped into the sea with their clothes still on. They made us tea and kept us warm. They were great.'

Merchant Marine deputy minister Nektarios Santorinios, whose ministry is in charge of the coastguard, said more than 700 people had been evacuated by sea by the coast guard.

The country's entire fleet of water-dropping planes and helicopters to give vacationers time to escape. Military drones remained in the air in the high winds to help officials direct more than 600 firefighters on the ground.

This was the scene of devastation in Mati after the fire had swept through the community, destroying houses and cars

Most of the deaths are believed to have taken place in and around the Mati area, some 25 miles from the Greek capital

The fire was so intense it melted metal as it destroyed cars in Argyra Akti, Mati, close to Nea Makri, in Attica, Greece

Residents comfort one another as they walk down the street past the ruins of cars destroyed during the fierce forest fires in Mati

A man stands at his balcony looking at the aftermath of a fire in Neo Voutza, northeast Attica, Greece, this afternoon

'We were unlucky. The wind changed and it came at us with such force that it razed the coastal area in minutes,' said Evangelos Bournous, mayor of the port town of Rafina, a sleepy mainland port that serves Greek holiday islands.

The dock area became a makeshift hospital as paramedics checked survivors, some of them clad in only their bathing suits, when they came off coast guard vessels and private boats. The operation continued through the night.

At daybreak Tuesday, Ambulance Service deputy director Miltiadis Mylonas said the number of casualties was likely to rise as the more gutted homes and cars were checked.

'It took people by surprise and the events happened very fast. Also, the fires broke out on many fronts, so all these factors made the situation extremely difficult,' he said. 'The task we face now is organizing the identification of victims by members of their families.'

People watch a wildfire in the town of Rafina, near Athens. Officials said flames ripped through communities in a matter of minutes fanned by strong winds in the area

Rescuers and volunteers help terrified locals and tourists during an evacuation of the village of Mati during deadly wildfires near Athens

The country's entire fleet of water-dropping planes and helicopters to give vacationers time to escape. Military drones remained in the air in the high winds to help officials direct more than 600 firefighters on the ground

Smoke from a wildfire burning outside Athens is seen over the Parthenon temple atop the Acropolis hill in Athens, Greece,

The authorities had previously announced 24 deaths and scores of injuries with the majority of casualties found in their homes or cars in Mati, 25 miles northeast of the capital

By dawn on Tuesday, the fires were still burning around the capital, while others broke out elsewhere during the night. This was the scene in Mati

A satellite image shows how one of the fires engulfed a huge area to the north of Kineta in Greece sparking a huge rescue operation

Heading to Greece on holiday? As wildfires rip through tourist resorts here's what you need to check before you set off Holidaymakers due to visit Greece are being urged to monitor news reports and follow advice issued by the local authorities or their accommodation providers, after wildfires ripped through tourist resorts leaving 74 dead. The blazes centre around the coastal town of Mati to the east of Athens while authorities are co-ordinating to rescue tourists who fled to the harbour in Rafina - one of the worst hit areas. Greece welcomes 27million holidaymakers each year, and is especially popular with Brits who mainly head to the islands of Corfu, Crete, Rhodes and Mykonos. But the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) says that most visitors to Greece, including Athens, will be unaffected by the fires. Holidaymakers due to visit Greece are being urged to monitor news reports and follow advice issued by the local authorities or their accommodation providers, after wildfires ripped through tourist resorts leaving scores dead In a statement, it said: 'There have been wildfires in a number of areas in southern Greece, including close to Athens; they have been confined to limited areas, but within those the impact has been high, with significant loss of life. 'Most visits to Greece, including to Athens, are unaffected, you should keep up to date with local media reports and follow the advice of the Greek authorities in affected areas. 'If you've been affected by the wildfires and need consular assistance, you can call the British Embassy in Athens on +30 210 7272 600; if you're in the UK and worried about a British national in Greece, call the FCO on 020 7008 1500.' Travel industry body Abta also reiterated to MailOnline Travel that most people going to Greece on holiday will avoid the fires. A spokesperson said: 'The wildfires in Greece are northeast of Athens in the Penteli area and 50km west of Athens. 'This area isn't a main destination for UK tourists. People on holiday in the region are advised to monitor news reports and follow any advice or instructions issued by the local authorities, their travel company or their accommodation providers. 'Anyone due to travel imminently to the areas affected should speak to their travel company or accommodation provider. The blazes centre around the coastal town of Mati to the east of Athens while authorities are co-ordinating to rescue tourists who fled to the harbour in Rafina - one of the worst hit areas. This was the scene as a fire swept through Kineta, on the opposite side of Athens 'Abta is in contact with the authorities in Greece and we are monitoring the situation.' Meanwhile holiday comparison site TravelSupermarket also told holidaymakers that they should monitor the FCO website for any advice as any warning not to travel could affect travel insurance claims. Spokesperson Emma Grimster explained: 'With events such as wild fires, advice is, on the whole, led by the Foreign and Commonwealth office (FCO). 'Holidaymakers due to travel to Greece need to keep a close eye on the FCO advice for the most up-to-date information on travelling to the country, and also keep in close contact with their travel provider to find out about any changes or delays to their travel arrangements. 'They should also check the terms and conditions of their travel insurance policy. While they won't be covered for simply deciding not to travel, if the FCO issues advice to avoid certain effected areas, travel insurance companies will tend to offer cover to travellers. Again, it is worth giving your insurer a call to find out the latest. 'If you're in the UK and worried about a British national in Greece, call the FCO on 020 7008 1500.' By Jennifer Newton for MailOnline Advertisement

The fire posed no immediate threat to Greece's famed ancient monuments, but as it raged inland, children's' summer camps and holiday homes were hastily abandoned. Fleeing drivers clogged highways into the capital, hampering the firefighting effort, and flecks of ash swirled onto central Athens.

Authorities were still trying to evacuate inhabitants from coastal areas, government spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos said early on Tuesday, while searches for further victims continued.

'Fifteen fires had started simultaneously on three different fronts in Athens', he said, prompting Greece to request drones from the United States, 'to observe and detect any suspicious activity'.

Nine coastal patrol boats, two military vessels and 'dozens of private boats' assisted by army helicopters were mobilised to help those stuck in the harbour in Rafina, one of the worst affected areas close to Mati.

Evacuees were transferred to hotels and military camps, while worried relatives flocked to the area.

A house burns as a wildfire rages at the village of Mati, near Athens. The worst forest fires in years are raging in Greece at the moment after a dry winter created tinder box conditions

Locals try to extinguish a fire at a nearby house as a wildfire burns at the village of Mati. A local mayor said the resort essentially 'no longer exists'

A man uses a cloth to protect himself from smoke as wildfire burns in the town of Rafina. A number of tourists have been reported missing

Smoke from a wildfire burning outside Athens is seen over the Parthenon temple. Greece has asked for urgent assistance in tackling the flames

Firefighters, soldiers and local residents carry a hose as a wildfire burns in the town of Rafina, near Athens

A man prepares to battle the flames in Rafina, Greece. The wildfires started on Monday but became progressively worse overnight

Police in the town said they found two Danish tourists out of a group of 10 in a boat at sea off the town and were trying to locate the others.

Civil protection chief Yannis Kapakis said he had told Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who cut short a visit to Bosnia to return home, that winds more than 60mph were creating 'an extreme situation'.

Forecasters said conditions would remain challenging on Tuesday, although showers and falling temperatures were expected in Athens.

In the north, more than 300 firefighters, five aircraft and two helicopters were mobilised to tackle the 'extremely difficult' situation, Athens fire chief Achille Tzouvaras said.

The Greek government invoked European Union civil protection agreements to seek help from EU peers, with the country tinder box dry and at risk of more fires. Wildfires have caused widespread damage in Sweden and other northern European nations.

A firefighter holds a hose as a wildfire burns at the village of Mati, near Athens. Firefighters from across Greece have been called upon to help tackle the infernos

Firefighters and soldiers working together to fight the wildfire in the town of Rafina, near Athens

A firefighter tries to extinguish a wildfire burning in the town of Rafina, near Athens. The government has issued an urgent appeal to help tackle the fires

Soldiers fall back as a wildfire burns in the town of Rafina, near Athens. Cyprus has offered to send fire engines and personnel to assist

Video footage showed inhabitants fleeing the fires by car, with several buildings and homes damaged, as the region of Attica - which includes Athens - declared a state of emergency.

'If I hadn't left, I'd have been burned,' a 67-year-old resident who gave her name as Maria told AFP.

Near the town of Marathon, several residents fled to safety along the beach, while some 600 children were evacuated from holiday camps in the area.

Tsipras said 'all emergency forces have been mobilised' to battle fires along at least three fronts.

Emergency services were banking on a drop in the wind but the forecast for the region - which has experienced temperatures topping 104 Fahrenheit (40 Celsius) - suggest conditions would remain challenging into Tuesday.

Smoke from the blazes blotted out the sun over the famed Parthenon temple in Athens, where some ministries closed Monday afternoon due to the searing heat.

'I am really concerned by the parallel outbreak of these fires,' Tsipras said, with officials raising the possibility they could have been started deliberately by criminals out to ransack abandoned homes.

Firefighters, soldiers and local residents carry a hose and battle the wildfire as it burns in the town of Rafina

A house devastated by the flames in the village of Mati. Greek authorities urged residents of a coastal region west of Athens to abandon their homes

Rescuers and volunteers push an inflatable boat as locals are evacuated from the area in Mati. Many were forced to sprint from their homes to nearby beaches to escape the fire

A building is engulfed by flames in Mati. The army was drafted in on Monday afternoon to help fight the blazes

An electricity pole burns on a car as the wildfire continues to rage at the village of Mati. Fire broke out around the Saronicos Gulf, ravaging tracts of pine forest

Fires are a common problem in Greece during the summer and can be major killers. Fires in 2007 on the southern island of Evia claimed 77 lives.

Also on Monday, Sweden's civil protection agency MSB said there were 27 active fires across the nation, as temperatures were expected to soar as high as 35 Celsius this week.

Other European countries including France, Italy and Germany have sent a mix of planes, trucks and firefighters to help tackle the blazes in Sweden, where usual summer temperatures are closer to 23 Celsius.

Some 25,000 hectares (62,000 acres) of land has already gone up in smoke or continues to burn - an area twice the size of the city of Paris.

At least four of the fires had not been brought under control, MSB said, and weather conditions were unfavourable.

Fires sweep Europe as countries swelter in the heat Dozens of wildfires have hit countries across northern Europe and Greece as a heatwave continues to hold across much of the continent. The fires have been particularly devastating in the Attica region around Athens, where dozens of people have died. Here is a round up of the impact of the fires and the soaring temperatures. GREECE Greece's deadliest blazes in more than a decade have left 60 dead after wildfires ravaged the seaside areas around Athens. The bodies of 26 people, including small children, were discovered in the courtyard of a villa at the seaside resort of Mati - the devastation blamed on winds of more than 100 kilometres per hour (60 mph) forcing the flames through the village. More than 160 people have been wounded, including several children, the government said. SWEDEN Sweden's emergency services said Tuesday there are 21 active wildfires across the country as much of Scandinavia baked in a heatwave. Some 25,000 hectares (62,000 acres) of land has already gone up in smoke or continues to burn - an area twice the size of the city of Paris. Authorities on Monday warned of an 'extreme' risk of new outbreaks in the south of the country due to high temperatures. FINLAND In Finland's northernmost Lapland province - which calls itself the 'official home' of Santa Claus - fires have ravaged woods and grassland close to the border with Russia. NORWAY Norway, which experienced its hottest May temperatures on record, has experienced several small fires. One firefighter was killed on July 15 trying to contain a blaze. LATVIA Fires have raged for almost a week in Latvia, destroying more than 800 hectares in the Baltic state's western regions. GERMANY The German Meteorological Service DWD has warned of a significant risk of fires in fields and forests due to drought. It forecast daytime temperatures to reach between 30 and 35 degrees Celsius (95 Fahrenheit) during the week. BRITAIN Parts of the UK continue to experience a prolonged heatwave. The government has issued a 'heat-health watch' alert for much of east and south-east England. HOLLAND The Dutch National Institute for Public Health has issued a heat warning for the whole week, warning air quality was likely to be 'bad' for much of the country. Twelve bridges in Amsterdam have been closed as the extreme heat could buckle the metal, the NOS public broadcaster reported. Advertisement

Sweden is experiencing an unprecedented drought and temperatures have reached their highest in a century.

There has been practically no rain since the beginning of May in the Nordic country, aside from a paltry 13 millimetres (half an inch) in mid-June.

The Forestry Bureau said Monday that the value of the destroyed forests was 900 million kronor (87 million euros, $102 million).

Several other northern European countries are also struggling to contain forest fires.

In Finland's northernmost Lapland province, fires have ravaged woods and grassland close to the border with Russia.

Norway, which this year experienced its hottest May temperatures on record, has also seen several small fires, and one firefighter was killed on July 15 trying to contain a blaze.

Fires have raged for five days in Latvia, destroying more than 800 hectares in the Baltic state's western regions

A firefighter wears a flame resistant uniform as wildfire burns in the town of Rafina, near Athens. The country's leader has declared three days of mourning

The fire rages in the distance at the town of Rafina. Reuters witnesses reported seeing a hillside of homes gutted by flames east of Athens