A devastating fire near Athens this week has scorched an area of 104 square kilometers, nearly twice the size of Manhattan, according to the European Union's satellite monitoring and mapping agency, Copernicus. The blaze, which erupted northeast of the Greek capital, destroyed dozens of homes and businesses, prompting several countries to send aid to Greece to help combat the flames, as reported by the Associated Press.

The fire, which swept through mountainous regions south of Athens, claimed the life of a factory worker and enveloped the city in thick smoke. Greek authorities confirmed that the fire had damaged 22 businesses and rendered at least 78 houses uninhabitable, with almost half of them completely destroyed. Inspections of the affected areas are expected to continue in the coming days.

Copernicus released its damage assessment a day after the forest fire was brought under control on the outskirts of Athens. The fire is attributed to a series of heat waves that have gripped southern Europe, along with unusually low levels of rainfall this year.

An updated estimate from the National Observatory in Athens revealed that over the past eight years, 450 square kilometers of forest have burned in the Attica region, which encompasses Athens. This accounts for 37% of the region’s total forested area.

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