Greece has declared a state of emergency in its northern region of Evros and asked its European Union partners for help in battling a major forest fire that continues to burn for a third day.

The blaze in Evros, near the border with Turkey, has destroyed about 4,000 hectares of forest and forced the evacuation of two villages. Greece has requested six firefighting planes to help battle the blaze.

The Evros fire is one of several blazes raging in the Mediterranean country. Blazes have also been reported elsewhere in northern Greece, as well as in parts of the south.

Scores of fires break out every summer in Greece, due to high temperatures and strong winds or arson.

In 2007, a series of wildfires erupted, killing at least 76 people and destroying thousands of hectares of land.