Greece has declared a state of emergency and is requesting assistance from the EU after forest fires forced people to flee the outskirts of the capital Athens.
At least 24 people are confirmed dead and more than 100 injured, 11 of them seriously.
The charred remains of a least four people were seen on the streets of the small coastal town of Mati, east of Athens, Reuters said.
Two people died on a motorbike, one in a car and another underneath a car, all reportedly in what appeared to be a traffic queue heading for the safety of a nearby beach.
Dozens of cars have been destroyed
More than 600 firefighters and 300 vehicles are involved in fighting the fires and Greece has asked for help from the European Union countries.
Cyprus and Spain have already offered assistance.
The thick smoke from the fires has led to main highways being shut down, while an orange haze has settled on Athens.
Flights have been diverted because of low visibility.
The army has been brought in to help.
Firefighters hav been struggling to contain the fires.
One fire is burning northeast of Athens in the Penteli area, where at least six people were taken to hospital after suffering burns, said fire service spokeswoman Stavroula Malliri.
Children’s summer camps were evacuated, while a patrol boat was sent to rescue people trapped on a beach.
Evangelos Bournous, mayor of the Rafina-Pikermi area, said he saw “at least 100 homes in flames”, adding: “I saw it with my eyes – it is a real total catastrophe.”
The other blaze is raging through pine forests 31 miles (50km) west of Athens after starting in the seaside town of Kineta, where 220 firefighters and 60 fire engines have been deployed.
The state of emergency was declared by regional authorities.
“This is an extreme situation,” said senior firefighter Achilleas Tzouvaras.
“People should leave, close up their homes and just leave.
“People cannot tolerate so much smoke for so many hours.”
The fire in the town of Rafina, near Athens, can be seen for many miles
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said: “We are doing everything humanly possible to tray and tackle these fires.”
Having cut short a visit to Bosnia, he added: “What concerns us is that there are fires occurring simultaneously.”
The worst fire season in Greece was in 2007, when large sections of forest and farmland were destroyed mainly in the country’s south, and more than 60 people were killed.
