An excessive heat warning has been issued by Greece's weather service from Wednesday morning to 8pm on Thursday, with forecasts saying Athens will see conditions over 40C (104F).
Greece has shuttered tourist hotspots and schools across Athens as the first heatwave of the summer strikes. Temperatures were tipped to hit 43C on Wednesday and Thursday in parts of the Mediterranean country. Meteorologists say the high temperatures is being driven by southerly winds bringing hot air and dust from North Africa. As a result, the Acropolis, which saw four million visitors last year, was closed between 9am and 2pm on Wednesday over the life-threatening temperatures.
Fourteen fire trucks and 42 firefighters were sent to the incident in the northern suburb of Kifisa. Residents in nearby areas were warned to stay indoors to protect themselves. The cause of the fire was not immediately known. The heatwave marks the latest in a series of record-breaking weather events for Greece - one of the most climate-impacted countries in Europe.
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