From her balcony in the Koukaki district in central Athens, she sees the smoke cloud from the large forest fire that is creeping closer to the city. The fire broke out over the weekend in Varnávas, three miles from Athens, is growing rapidly and is out of control. Several towns, including suburbs of Athens, have been evacuated.
Moa Sandberg noticed the smoke cloud in the sky over Athens for the first time on Sunday.
Early this morning, I received a message from the authorities on my phone about a forest fire and that certain areas in the mountains outside Athens are being evacuated. But no one in central Athens has received an evacuation order yet, she says.
Despite the situation, there is no panic in the city, the Athenians are calm.
It's a bit uncomfortable, but at the same time, everything is as usual. Everything is open, everyone is working, and the tourists are still here. It's just the mountains you shouldn't go to, she adds.
The authorities are continuously updating the information. Residents and visitors in the areas being evacuated are informed about where to go. Residents outside the city are also advised to keep their windows and doors closed due to the smoke.
