Athens' Parthenon hazy as Greece wildfires grow

A thick cloud of smoke surrounded one of the most famous landmarks of the ancient world on Wednesday: the Parthenon in the Greek capitol of Athens.

A wildfire tore through a forest on the city outskirts, leaving behind scorched earth and scores of gutted homes, businesses and vehicles.

The fire began Tuesday about 12 miles north of Athens, but fire fighters managed to slightly subdue it by Wednesday morning.

Nikos Hardalias, who works for the government’s civil protection bureau, told Athens residents to stay indoors to protect themselves from smoke pollution.

"I want to stress once more, it is absolutely necessary to take care, the weather conditions are extreme, the danger for wildfire is very high in the majority of the country, today and for the upcoming days."

Fires were also burning on the island of Evia and in the western Peloponnese, where villages were evacuated near the site of the first Olympic Games.

Greece is facing its most severe heatwave in 30 years, with temperatures hitting nearly a high of 110 degrees Fahrenheit.

The heat and strong winds are fanning Greece’s fires over the border into Turkey.

To try to stop it, France and Sweden have sent their own firefighters.

That reinforcement is expected to arrive on Thursday.