Five major forest fires have broken out in Greece, with authorities evacuating residents in a region 30km (19 miles) from the capital, Athens.

Axar.az informs that BBC News reported this.

The state of emergency continues amid a heatwave, with temperatures expected to reach 44 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) on Sunday.

Greece has formally requested assistance from the EU's Civil Protection Mechanism for six more firefighting aircraft.

The blaze, which broke out on Saturday in Attica, the region where the capital Athens is located, quickly spread to the areas of Drozopigi, Kryoneri, and Agios Stefanos, forcing residents to flee.

More than 200 firefighters are still working in the area, supported by helicopters and water-bombing planes. Officials said a second fire near Pissona on the island of Evia was out of control and was rapidly spreading to Afratia.

The intense fires have cut off power in several parts of the country.