Greek authorities have evacuated residents of the Aegean island of Lesbos today after a forest fire threatened properties in the beach resort of Vatera, Reuters reported.

Thick smoke is seen in the area, blown by strong winds.

A local resident told state broadcaster ERT that her home was on fire.

"We are fighting to save the homes," Taxiarchis Veros, mayor of the West Lesvos municipality, told TV.

Vatera, an 8 km long sandy beach in the south of Lesvos, is a popular tourist attraction.

Over 100 forest fires broke out in 24 hours in Greece

Earlier this week, a forest fire in a mountainous area outside Athens destroyed homes and forced hundreds of people to flee.

The authorities describe this summer as one of the worst in the Mediterranean.

Last year, wildfires devastated about 300,000 acres (121,000 hectares) of forests and bushes in Greece during the country's worst heat wave in 30 years, BTA added.