(ANSA-AFP) - ATHENS, AUG 7 - Thousands of tourists and residents were evacuated and a thick cloud of smoke and ash hung over Athens Saturday as forests fires that have already killed two people raged for an 11th day in parts of Greece. At least 1,450 Greek firefighters were battling the infernos along with 15 aircraft, with reinforcements arriving from other countries, the fire service said. The blazes are set to continue with strong winds and temperatures of up to 38 degrees C (100 F) forecast in some regions on Saturday. Greece and Turkey have been fighting devastating fires for more than a week as the region suffers its worst heatwave in decades -- officials and experts linking such intense weather events to climate change. A UN draft report seen by AFP labelled the Mediterranean region a "climate change hotspot" and warned that heatwaves, droughts and fires would become more fierce in the future, supercharged by rising temperatures. The Greek fire service said Saturday blazes were raging in the Attica peninsula that includes Athens, in Evia, the country's second largest island and located east of the capital, and the Peloponnese region in the southwest.

(ANSA-AFP).