Hundreds of Greek firefighters fought for a second day on Friday to bring a large forest blaze under control, with better weather conditions lifting hope the flames could be subdued.

Nearly 300 firefighters battled throughout the night to keep the fire contained on the Geraneia mountain range, some 90 kilometres (55 miles) from Athens.

Several Greek villages have been evacuated as firefighters battle the country's first major blaze of the year on a mountain range overlooking the Gulf of Corinth. Six villages and two monasteries were evacuated after the fire broke out near the village of
Several Greek villages have been evacuated as firefighters battle the country's first major blaze of the year on a mountain range overlooking the Gulf of Corinth. Six villages and two monasteries were evacuated after the fire broke out near the village of Schinos, some 90 kilometres (56 miles) west of Athens. AFPTV / Will VASSILOPOULOS

No injuries have been reported.

"Conditions are much better (today)," fire department spokesman Vassilis Vathrakogiannis told Skai TV, adding that emergency services were "hopeful" that the fire could be contained with the contribution of water bombers.

"We are cautiously optimistic that during the day, with weather conditions gradually improving, we will limit the fire," civil protection deputy minister Nikos Hardalias told reporters.

Map of Greece locating the area where a forest fire started near the village of Schinos, prompting evacuations.
Map of Greece locating the area where a forest fire started near the village of Schinos, prompting evacuations. AFP / Gal ROMA

It is estimated that more than 40 square kilometres (16 square miles) of pine forest and other land are estimated to have been razed already, he said.

Fifteen aircraft were assisting operations on Friday and gale force winds are expected to abate. Army clearing machinery and volunteers are supporting efforts on the ground.

Nearly 300 firefighters battled throughout the night to keep the fire contained
Nearly 300 firefighters battled throughout the night to keep the fire contained AFP / Louisa GOULIAMAKI

The state civil protection agency on Thursday had said hundreds of people had been evacuated from over a dozen villages and hamlets in the surrounding area, as well as from local monasteries.

Two more hamlets were evacuated on Friday as a precaution, a fire spokeswoman told AFP.

To indicate the speed of the fire, Hardalias said it had crossed 10.3 kilometres (6.4 miles) in less than five hours on Thursday.

Officials said a number of properties have been destroyed in the blaze
Officials said a number of properties have been destroyed in the blaze AFP / ANGELOS TZORTZINIS

Fire-fighting efforts have been complicated by the lack of access roads in some areas.

Several Greek villages have been evacuated as firefighters battle the country's first major blaze of the year on a mountain range overlooking the Gulf of Corinth. Six villages and two monasteries were evacuated after the fire broke out near the village of
Several Greek villages have been evacuated as firefighters battle the country's first major blaze of the year on a mountain range overlooking the Gulf of Corinth. Six villages and two monasteries were evacuated after the fire broke out near the village of Schinos, some 90 kilometres (56 miles) west of Athens. AFPTV / Will VASSILOPOULOS

"The fire got to within five kilometres of Megara" on Thursday, a local resident told Skai TV, referring to a nearby coastal town.

"Vineyards, cottages, crops have been burned, it's a total disaster... many of my friends have had their homes burned," he said.

"We were here (last) night. By around 9:10 pm (1810 GMT) the game was lost, flames were leaping five metres high. We had to leave, and we came back at two in the morning," another man told Skai near the remains of his home, some embers still smoking.

Officials said a number of properties have been destroyed, but declined to give precise figures before the fire was extinguished completely.

The blaze started late on Wednesday in the Corinthian Gulf village of Schinos, apparently by someone burning vegetation in an olive grove, the civil protection agency said.

Smoke from the fire choked Athens on Thursday with ash falling from the sky.

The national observatory in Athens said the smoke had reached the Cycladic islands as far as Ikaria. The health ministry recommended people limit physical activity and close doors and windows.

"We could say the atmosphere (on Thursday) was 10 times more toxic" than usual," observatory senior researcher Nikos Michalopoulos told Open TV.

Wildfires pose a challenge for Greece every year during the dry summer season, with strong winds and temperatures frequently exceeding 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit).

Hardalias on Friday said the Geraneia mountains fire broke out relatively early in the season, around a month before Greece has scheduled to have its water bomber fleet at full strength on June 15.

In 2018, 102 people died in the coastal resort of Mati, near Athens, in Greece's worst ever fire disaster.