ATHENS — Substantial firefighting forces are still battling against fire rekindlings in northern Attica on Saturday, said the Fire Brigade.

Although a major fire front as well as separate smaller fronts burnt through several areas in northern Attica overnight, the situation is thought to have improved on Saturday afternoon. There is, however, concern as winds are expected to pick up pace later in the day, it was added.

It is therefore imperative that the smaler, scattered fire pockets still active in northern Attica should not be allowed to spread across one another and create a fresh, large fire front, noted the Fire Brigade.

Several houses were burnt overnight at the front in Thrakomakedones, which had started anew in Varybobi on Friday. Firefighters there are dealing with scattered rekindled fire pockets but which are under control.

At the Malakassa fire front, which crossed the national highway into Ippokrateios Politeia on Friday night, firefighters are keeping a small number of scattered rekindlings under control, and there is no major blaze there currently, it was stressed. The fire did not reach the area of Oropos, but helicopters at Ippokrateios Politeia are water-bombing the area. Some rekindlings are currently active at both Afidnes and Ippokrateios Politeia, where infrastructural and land damages are extensive and several houses were burnt overnight Friday.

On the fire front which reached Aghios Stefanos and Kapandriti overnight Friday via the area of Afidnes, some smaller fires are still burning in the communities of Pefkofito and Pondion.

Hundreds of Greek firefighters are active Saturday afternoon in northern Attica, assisted by firefighters from Romania, Ukraine, Israel and Cyprus, and 3 helicopters from Sweden.