A new evacuation alert has been issued for the Greek seaside town of Nea Makri on Tuesday as intense wildfires continue to ravage the suburbs of Athens. One person, believed to be a woman, was found dead inside a shop in Vrilissia, northern Athens, according to a fire service source.

Thousands have been evacuated as the fires threaten homes, businesses, and schools. While the massive smoke cloud over Athens cleared by Tuesday morning, the air remains hazy, and ash has settled on balconies in areas not directly affected by the fires.

Firefighters, who have described themselves as “exhausted,” are now focusing on hotspots rather than a single major fire front. Fire service spokesman Col Vassilios Vathrakogiannis reported that although there is no longer an active fire front in the north-eastern Attica region, which includes parts of Athens, many localized blazes persist, particularly around the towns of Marathon and Penteli.

With conditions for new fires remaining dangerous, over 700 firefighters, 199 fire engines, and 35 waterbombing aircraft are engaged in the ongoing battle to extinguish the fires, which first ignited on Sunday afternoon approximately 35km (22 miles) north of Athens. Two firefighters have been treated for burns, and officials reported that flames reached heights of up to 25 meters (82 feet) in some areas on Monday.

In unprecedented scenes, residents in Athens have donned facemasks to protect themselves from the smoke that has enveloped the city.