A firefighter runs from a wildfire in Kandyli, a settlement near Nea Peramos, west of Athens, on July 19, 2023. (PHOTO / AFP)

ATHENS — Wildfires across Greece were largely contained on Thursday after razing swathes of forest and dozens of homes for days, though a new heatwave loomed, threatening to stoke tinderbox conditions across the country.

A fire west of Athens which prompted mass evacuations earlier in the week was contained, a fire brigade official said. Firefighters, backed with air water bombers, remained on site in case of a resurgence of flames.

Land and aerial firefighting forces will continue preventive patrolling in forests across Greece amid difficult conditions

On the island of Rhodes, firefighters continued to battle a blaze that had erupted in a densely wooded mountainous area and forced people to flee.

READ MORE: Swiss police evacuate villages due to wildfire

Greek meteorological service had warned of a heightened risk of fires from Thursday, as the country recovered from the first major heatwave of the summer.

A second heatwave was forecast to start on Thursday, with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in some areas, and rising further on Friday to a maximum of 44C.

Land and aerial firefighting forces will continue preventive patrolling in forests across Greece amid difficult conditions, authorities said late on Wednesday.

READ MORE: Wildfires kill at least 74 near Athens

Fires are common in Greece, but hotter, drier and windy summers have turned the Mediterranean into a wildfire hotspot in recent years.