Apocalyptic wildfire blows up ammo depot, forces jets to relocate in Greece

A wildfire whipped on by strong winds triggered a series of massive explosions at an air force ammunition depot in central Greece, while firefighters worked to tame multiple blazes in the country.

There were no injuries at the depot, which had been evacuated before the explosions, and by late Thursday the fire was no longer active.

The Greek air force said that F-16 fighter jets at a nearby base were moved to another facility as a precaution, but that the base had not been under any immediate threat.

Fires have raged across parts of Greece during three successive Mediterranean heatwaves in the past two weeks, leaving five people dead, including two firefighting pilots, and triggering a huge weekend evacuation of tourists on the island of Rhodes.

The fire in the Volos area of central Greece's Magnissia region reached the ammunition storage facility about 6 kilometres (4 miles) north of the major military air base in Nea Anchialos.

Local media reported that bombs and ammunition for Greek F-16 fighters were stored at the site.

The large explosions shattered windows on houses in a surrounding area, but the Greek fire service said no severe injuries were reported in nearby villages, which also were evacuated as a precaution.

'Unable to stop'

Fire Service spokesman Ioannis Artopios said 12 villages were ordered evacuated in the Volos-Nea Anchialos area.

“Despite their superhuman efforts, our forces were unable to stop the blaze,” he said.

Artopios said the Volos area blaze was the most dangerous of the 124 wildfires the fire service had to deal with on Thursday.

The wildfire burned on three fronts and forced a section of Greece’s busiest highway to close for several hours, while national rail services passing through the area were delayed.

State ERT television showed residents and visitors in the coastal village of Anchialos, some 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) from the blast site, being evacuated by sea, while others were leaving in cars and buses. The coastguard said more than 100 residents were taken in small private boats to the city of Volos.

The Nea Anchialos air base is some 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the city, where loud blasts could be heard.