Firefighters across Greece remain on high operational alert, as emergency officials prepare for severe fire conditions across the country.

Tourists and residents fled villages in the Chalkidiki region of northern Greece by land and sea as a fire spread by strong winds engulfed houses and trees near a tourist resort.

In Greece, people wearing face masks boarded boats in the coastal town of Siviri as a fire tore through a forest and huge columns of smoke turned the cloudless sky dark gray. The coast guard said more than 300 people had been evacuated by boat from Siviri.

“Our effort is focused on extinguishing the fire and safely transporting people,” fire brigade spokesman Giannis Artopios told the Protothema news portal. A total of 227 firefighters, 57 vehicles, 13 infantry teams, six firefighting aircraft and a helicopter have been dispatched to the area affected by the flames.