Eu is sending emergency help to Greece under its civil protection mechanism after the Greek authorities appealed for help fighting a severe wildfire, which is approaching the northern outskirts of Athens at the moment. It's spread across the wooded Mount Penteli area, near the city, burning homes and a school. Aircraft are being used to try and tackle the blaze, but residents have complained there aren't enough firefighters on the ground. The fuel tanks of parked cars have exploded, which creates new flare-ups, and at least Eight people have been taken to hospital with breathing problems. Jess Parker reports.

Through the dense smoke, they battle a blaze that's reached the outskirts of Athens. A path burned from the north and east towards the Greek capital. Homes, businesses, even hospitals have been evacuated.

It hurts. We've grown up in the forest. We feel great sadness and anger.

The fight against the expanding blaze comes from the sky and from residents on the ground. People who've had to flee tell of their terror.

The flames surrounded me. I couldn't see. I hit a pine tree, and this happened.

Greece is no stranger to wildfires, but scientists warn things are getting worse because of climate change. This is a nation that just experienced its hottest July on record.

We also have these very dry fuels, which contribute to the rapid spread of the fire and also to the increase the chance of having spot fires and generating a very quickly expanding wildfire. Overall, I would say that it's another very difficult day. And the situation right now in terms of the fire spread and the fire behavior is extremely difficult from the point of view of controlling them.

People are continuing to be evacuated separated from their homes. These scenes were filmed north of the capital as officers tried to bring residents to safety. Medics are urging people to be cautious, especially the elderly, pregnant women, young children, and those with respiratory or heart problems.

High winds have fueled these flames, and there's no relief forecast from the searing heat over the coming days. Thick clouds have been hanging over the ancient acropolis, a city under siege. Jessica Parker, BBC News in Athens.

Well, I spoke to Jess and asked her how the authorities are coping at the moment, and just what are the risks for people there now.

Just behind me, in fact, you can probably, I'm sure, see the smoke rising. That is a northern suburb of Athens. And of course, these blazes have been making their way from the north and east areas of the region of Attica towards the capital city. So firefighters engaged in fighting lots of different hotspots, lots of different flare-ups. But just while we've been here in this spot, not only can we really smell the smoke that's presumably coming over from there, but also we heard some explosions. We looked over to the distance and I actually at one point saw a ball of fire, a smallish ball of fire, but a ball of fire nonetheless. And there have, of course, been reports that cars and fuel tanks have been caught up in the blaze and have been exploding as as the fire has reached them. So we certainly heard explosions from where we were just a few moments ago. In terms of what civil protection are saying, they've been updating people throughout the day. Another general hospital has been evacuated from the area of Militia. Also, they're saying that they are getting fresh assistance from countries like France. France is sending a helicopter.

The Czech Republic are going to send 75 firefighters. There's expected to be help as well from countries including Spain and Turkey. The EU say they're mobilizing resources as well. It's something the European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, a tweeter about not long ago.

Obviously, we've seen wildfires across Europe for some years. I was caught up in one directly myself in France, within about the last three years.

The Greeks have moved, as other countries have, haven't they, to try to put in place some precautionary measures.

Obviously, Athens is a very concrete, paved city, but we are hearing and seeing really terrifying images still.

Yeah, absolutely. And it's interesting. I mean, so the region in northeast Attica, where the fires have broken out. They have seen wildfires before, numerous years, sometimes actually deadly wildfires as well. It was back in 2018, I think, that over 100 people died in a seaside town in the area after a fire are ripped through there. And one of the features of the landscape there is pine forests, which obviously allows those flames to spread. So that's been a particular problem. Now, yes, Greece, other countries. I covered a wildfire in France a couple of years ago. In the summer, we do often see wildfires causing huge problems, causing evacuations, sometimes very sadly, causing fatalities as well. All countries, I think, though, that are particularly affected by this are under mounting pressure, not just from residents who are grieving if they've had to flee their homes, they've had to flee their businesses as well. There's a lot of political pressures, people saying more needs to be done to help people. But of course, as well because of climate change, scientists are warning, this situation isn't going to get better. It is potentially going to get or will get worse, and therefore, governments increasingly need to focus on mitigation measures.

And I think that conversation, again, is going to happen in Greece over the course of the coming days, although, of course, immediate focus for now is tackling this fire.

Jess Parker there in Athens.

Let's hope the authorities make as much progress as fast as possible. A truly terrifying set of images coming to us there from Greece. This is BBC News. We are back with more in a few minutes. I'm Gita Grammuthi.