Greece declares emergency on Chios as fires burn
Civil Protection Minister Ioannis Kefalogiannis said the decision was made so that local authorities "can immediately take the necessary measures".
Chios, in the northern Aegean Sea, is Greece's fifth-largest island and is facing five separate fire outbreaks.
Some 190 firefighters, 38 vehicles, 12 helicopters and four water-bombers have been deployed to tackle the flames, the fire service said.
Mr Kefalogiannis, who travelled to the island, said strong winds were making the situation "very difficult".
Reinforcements were being deployed, he told Greek news site iEidiseis, adding: "If the wind dies down a bit we might be able to get this fire under control.
"But the wind really hasn't dropped."
Yesterday, about a dozen localities and hundreds of asylum seekers at a reception centre were forced to move.
Seven villages had to be evacuated today.
Greece is particularly vulnerable to fires during the summer months, fuelled by strong winds, drought and high temperatures linked to climate change.
Forecasts predict a heatwave in the coming days, with temperatures of more than 40C expected, including in the capital Athens.
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