The severe fires are raging at the same time as a heat wave with temperatures of over 40 degrees has gripped the country.
The Lesbos fire broke out in Vatera on the southern part of the island on Saturday morning. The police have evacuated 450 people from two hotels and around 90 holiday homes as the fire was dangerously close. It is also burning outside the nearby village of Vrisa.
At least two houses have been consumed by the flames.
About 50 firefighters, with many vehicles, at least nine planes and a helicopter, fought the fire on Saturday.
“Exceptionally difficult”
The most extensive fire affects areas in northeastern Greece, near the border with Turkey. The fire has been raging for several days and is threatening the Dadia National Park with its famous pine trees and colonies of condors.
Over 300 firefighters and a number of planes and helicopters have been deployed against the fire, while a couple of hundred loggers are making fire escapes.
Yiannis Artopoios, spokesperson for the emergency services, describes the fire as “exceptionally difficult” to manage.
High pressure for ten days
On Saturday, major efforts were also launched against fires in mountain areas in the region of Western Macedonia and in the southeastern Peloponnese. An entire village had to be evacuated late Saturday because of the fires.
The high pressure that moved in with high temperatures is expected to last for ten days.
Greece has previously been reasonably spared from the European heat wave, but rising temperatures threaten to contribute to further fires.