Greece battles wildfires, evacuating residents near Athens

Greece is battling five major wildfires across the country, with officials evacuating residents in a hard-hit region just 30km (18.6 miles) north of Athens.

The smell of burning wood carried as far as central Athens, as Greece requested European Union assistance to fight the spreading blaze.

The ongoing emergency comes amid a severe heatwave. Temperatures are forecast to reach up to 44C on Sunday, with the extreme heat expected to persist through most of the weekend.