Improved situation in wildfire front across Greece on Fri.

A wildfire front west and northwest of Athens proper, one threatening the Mt. Parnitha national park, was reportedly mostly contained and abating on Friday morning, according to Greece’s fire brigade.

A large contingent of fire-fighters was active at the scene, operating dozens of vehicles, while more than a dozen water-dropping aircraft were also battling the blaze.

Fire-fighters were extinguishing flare-ups of another active wildfire in Viotia prefecture, north of Athens, although this blaze also appeared nearly extinguished.

Meanwhile, Greek fire-fighters and foreign crews continued to battle a massive and persistent wildfire north of the port city of Alexandroupolis on Friday, which raged for a sixth straight day.

The brunt of the devastation, calculated at roughly 60,000 hectares, has been centered in the noted Dadia Forest, a significant natural habitat in the wider region.

The bodies of 18 people, including two minors, were discovered this week in one fire-ravaged site within the scorched terrain. The victims are believed to have been third country nationals that illegally entered Greece from Turkey.

Similarly, another 13 foreign nationals, from Syria and Pakistan, also illegal migrants, were arrested in the Evros region and charged with arson, after makeshift incendiary devices were allegedly found in their possession.

Three local men were also arrested on charges of illegally detaining the group and making threats against them, with racist motivation being investigated.

Several settlements had previously been evacuated in the extreme northeast corner of Greece, near the land border with Turkey.

An improved situation was reported on a wildfire front in the adjacent Rhodopi prefecture, to the west.

Weather conditions in Greece on Friday were more favorable for fire-fighters, as temperatures dropped, winds abated and heavy rainfall fell in the country’s northwest.