Athens, Aug. 13 -- Hundreds of firefighters battled wildfires in Greece Tuesday, with the largest burning through a thickly forested nature reserve on the island of Evia north of Athens where four villages and a monastery were evacuated.

The country's civil protection authority declared a state of emergency in the area of Evia affected by the fire, where more than 220 firefighters, volunteers, soldiers, six water-dropping planes and six helicopters were deployed, along with one more helicopter coordinating the air support.

Greece called on the European civil protection organization for assistance, and firefighting planes were being sent from Croatia and Italy, the Greek protection authority said.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis cut ...