Nesmith said she had flown into Greece on Sunday, the day the wildfire initially broke out in the village of Varnavas, about 20 miles north of Athens.
As the danger spread, Greece implored fellow European Union members to help respond to the blaze.
“We stand with Greece as it battles devastating fires,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement on X on Monday.
While wildfires are common during the summertime in Greece, climate scientists have warned that unusually hot and dry weather connected to climate change can make fires more likely to ignite and spread.
A satellite image shows the ongoing fire near Athens, Greece.
Persons:
Nesmith, Vassilis, Ursula von der Leyen, Kikilias, Angelos Tzortzinis, Maria Sidiropoulou, Chantal Da Silva
Organizations:
Reuters, Officials, Volunteers, Aris Oikonomou, Getty, Union, Copernicus, NBC
Locations:
Greece, Varnavas, Athens, “, Vrilissia, AFP, EU, Italy, France, Czechia, Romania, Chalandri, European, Libya, Stamata, London