In Greece, officials are actively fighting wildfires that have devastated homes and prompted evacuations for a second consecutive day. Assistance is on the way, with Czech firefighters joining the effort and Italian aircraft expected to arrive shortly.
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This morning, five fires continued to burn in the Peloponnese region, as well as on the islands of Evia, Kythera, and Crete. With the dawn, aircraft and helicopters resumed operations in various parts of the country. Fire brigade spokesman Vassilis Vathrakogiannis remarked, “Today is expected to be a difficult day with a very high risk of fire throughout nearly all areas,” though he did note signs of improvement.
While forecasters predict winds, which have been fanning the flames, will diminish today in most areas, they caution that Kythera—home to approximately 3,600 residents—still faces “worrying” windy conditions.
“Houses, beehives, and olive trees have been burnt,” lamented Giorgos Komninos, the deputy mayor of Kythera, during an interview with state-run ERT News. “A monastery is in direct danger right now,” he added, indicating that half of the island had already been scorched.
Numerous firefighters, supported by three helicopters and two aircraft, are battling the blaze that erupted on Kythera yesterday morning, leading to the evacuation of a popular tourist beach. Greece has reached out for assistance from EU allies, with two Italian aircraft on their way, while Czech units are already on the ground.
Despite ongoing challenges, officials alert that eleven regions in Greece still face a very high risk of fire. Firefighters are responding to flare-ups across Peloponnese, and many struggles continue on the island of Evia, where flames have devastated vast forested areas and resulted in significant losses to livestock.
As firefighters endeavor to manage the blazes, workers have been tirelessly repairing severe damage to Evia’s electricity network, with some villages facing water supply issues. On Crete, reports indicate that fires, which erupted yesterday and destroyed four houses and a church, are largely under control.
In Kryoneri, located north of Athens, police have heightened security measures amid fears of potential looting of homes abandoned by residents fleeing the approaching fire. Local resident Giorgos, donned in a mask for smoke protection, expressed the urgency: “We are fighting here. What can we do?”
“By the time I got here, the flames were already up. It all happened so fast,” shared Alexandros Andonopoulos, who rushed from Athens to protect his village. Thankfully, he added, “Fortunately, the firemen arrived quickly.”
Greece has been grappling with a relentless heatwave for nearly a week, with temperatures exceeding 40°C in many regions. Just yesterday, the mercury hit 45.2°C in Amfilohia, located in western Greece. Fortunately, relief from the extreme heat is anticipated by Monday.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis took to social media, assuring those who have lost possessions that “the state will be by their side.” He referred to the ongoing struggle as “titanic,” yet noted that “the picture today looks better, and the battle continues with all available resources.”
In recent weeks, Greece has felt the impacts of climate change acutely. Last month, fires on Chios, Greece’s fifth-largest island in the northern Aegean, devastated 4,700 hectares of land. Earlier in July, a wildfire on Crete forced the evacuation of 5,000 people, underscoring the increasing severity of such events. This year alone has been record-breaking, with nearly 175,000 hectares lost and 20 lives claimed due to wildfires.
As many countries face similar challenges, Greece serves as a cautionary tale of the heightened risks posed by climate change, amplifying the occurrence and severity of wildfires.
Edited By Ali Musa
Axadle Times International – Monitoring.
