Four major wildfires in south-central Greece on Mon.

Four major wildfires were active in southern Greece on Monday evening, according to a fire brigade spokesman, with two of the four around the greater Athens-Piraeus area, and specifically in southeast Attica prefecture and northwest of Mt. Parnitha at the Dervenochoria settlement.

The four blazes were the first major wildfires of the ongoing summer season in the east Mediterranean country, which has witnessed numerous devasting and deadly wildfires over the past four decades.

The other two major blazes were centered at the Kallithea site, near the Corinth Gulf resort city of Loutraki, and at the Kaparelli site, in Viotia prefecture, north of Athens.

Residents of coastal towns and resorts in southeast Attica prefecture (greater Athens-Piraeus) were advised to leave the area in the early afternoon, as the wildfire that erupted at the Kouvara site moved along 12 kilometers in two hours, authorities said.

Large fire-fighting details, including military personnel, dozens of fire brigade vehicles and water-dropping helicopters were dispatched to all four affected areas.

Vehicle traffic was temporarily cut off on the Athens-Sounion highway due to the proximity of the wildfire, similar to the Elefsina-Thebes regional road and the main Athens-Corinth national highway.