Italian water-dropping planes help Greek wildfire fight

Two Italian Canadair planes used for aerial firefighting, by scooping up and dropping water, join Greece in its fight against wildfires that have burned thousands of hectares as Europe battles extreme temperatures.

Greece said Thursday that archaeological sites, including the Acropolis, will be closed during the hottest hours of the day due to a new heatwave.The nation is preparing for further high temperatures until Sunday, with peaks of 43 degrees Celsius (109 degrees Fahrenheit) expected in the center of the country on Thursday.

The World Heritage Site is currently experiencing a surge in visitor numbers and had already closed last weekend during the hottest hours.As Greece announced the restrictions, firefighters were still battling wildfires west of Athens, which have so far burned thousands of hectares.