Greece is currently facing five significant wildfires across the nation, with residents in a severely affected region just 30km north of Athens being evacuated. The fires have spread with the help of strong winds and extremely high temperatures, causing injuries to firefighters, loss of life, property damage, and widespread destruction of forests. The government has requested assistance from the European Union to combat the blaze. The fires are ongoing while the country experiences a severe heatwave, with temperatures expected to reach up to 44°C over the weekend.
In Attica, the region where Athens is located, a wildfire that started in Afidnes on Saturday rapidly spread through Drosopigi, Kryoneri, and Agios Stefanos, causing residents to flee. Although the main fire front has been contained, hotspots continue to burn, with more than 200 firefighters still operating in the area. On the island of Evia, another blaze near Pissona has been declared “out of control” and is fast approaching Afrati. Several villages have been left without power after the fires destroyed pylons and power lines. Six firefighters have been hospitalized for burns and smoke inhalation.
On the island of Kythira, a third wildfire is consuming a significant portion of the land. Residents have described the situation as “total destruction,” and several settlements have been evacuated. The coast guard, with the help of private boats, has rescued and transported 139 people from Limnionas beach to Kapsali port. In Messinia, a fourth wildfire broke out in the Polithea area of Trifylia on Saturday and intensified later in the day. Emergency alerts have been sent to multiple villages, urging residents to evacuate, as strong winds hinder firefighting efforts.
In Chania, a fifth wildfire is plaguing the Temenia region of Crete. The fire started in two separate areas and quickly spread, destroying at least two homes. Officials stated that the entire country remains under threat, with various regions still at risk of fires, including the Ionian Islands, Western Greece, the Peloponnese, Central Greece, Attica, Epirus, Western Macedonia, Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, Thessaly, the South Aegean, and Crete.
In July, wildfires on Greece’s fifth-largest island, Chios, in the northern Aegean, resulted in the destruction of 4,700 hectares of land. Additionally, a wildfire in Crete’s early July led to the evacuation of 5,000 tourists.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgv313e381o
