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Hundreds of firefighters are battling a major forest fire raging out of control and edging closer to the Greek capital Athens.
With flames towering up to heights of over 80 feet, the wall of fire burned homes and sent a blanket of smoke and ash over central Athens, where the smell of burning lingered in the air.
Power cuts were reported in several parts of the capital as well as affected traffic lights at major junctions in the centre.
Warning alerts have been sent to residents telling them to close windows and stay inside in certain areas.
Stergios Tsirkas, mayor of the historic Greek town of Marathon, warned they were facing a “biblical catastrophe”.
Thousands of residents have fled their homes as the fast-moving blaze fuelled by hot, windy weather burned trees, houses and cars and sent smoke clouds over the Greek capital.
A children’s hospital, a military hospital, two monasteries and a children’s home were evacuated on Monday morning, and emergency alerts continue to be sent out.
Key Points
- More than 600 firefighters deployed to battle wildfires
- Nearly 400 police officers deployed to help with evacuations
- Wildfire spreading ‘like lightning’
- Mapped: Where have the wildfires been?
Pinned post: Should you be worried about your travel plans to Greece?
As wildfires rage through mainland Greece, prospective travellers may be worried about how this will impact their holiday plans.
From the UK:
A spokesperson for Jet2 told The Independent: “Our flight schedule to and from Athens is currently operating as normal however we continue to closely monitor the situation and the advice of the relevant authorities. The safety and wellbeing of our passengers and crew is easyJet’s highest priority.”
Ryanair confirmed it is operating as usual and will follow guidance from local authorities.
The Independent has reached out to British Airways and EasyJet for comment.
Within Greece:
Greece’s coast guard ordered all ferries going to and from the nearby port of Rafina, which serves mainly the Cycladic islands and Crete, to be diverted to the port of Lavrion due to the fire.
Meteorologists and government officials have warned of the heightened danger of wildfires because of weather conditions from Sunday until Thursday, with half of the country placed under a “red alert” for wildfire hazard.
Jabed Ahmed12 August 2024 12:54 1723459691Mapped: Where have the wildfires been?
Jabed Ahmed12 August 2024 11:48
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Authorities issue risk forecast map for tomorrow
Watch: Greece wildfires force hundreds to flee homes
Explained: Why are there wildfires in Greece every summer?
Climate change is projected to make wildfires more frequent and intense, with a global increase of extreme fires of up to 14 per cent by 2030, according to a UN report.
Intense, long-lasting heat draws moisture out of the ground and vegetation.
Once ignited – whether by natural or human triggers - these tinder-dry conditions provide fuel for fires to spread at an incredible speed, aided by very strong winds.
The way that humans use land is also important in affecting how wildfires spread.
Wildfires and climate change are mutually exacerbating. Wildfires are made worse by climate change through increased drought, high air temperatures, low relative humidity, lightning, and strong winds resulting in hotter, drier, and longer fire seasons.
At the same time, climate change is made worse by wildfires, mostly by ravaging sensitive and carbon-rich ecosystems like peatlands and rainforests. This turns landscapes into tinderboxes, making it harder to halt rising temperatures.
Jabed Ahmed12 August 2024 19:49 1723486494Large areas of Greece have seen little or no rain for months
Summers in Greece have long been marked by wildfires but hotter, drier weather linked to climate change have made blazes more frequent and intense. Wildfires fanned by extreme heat have also raged this month in parts of Spain and the Balkans.
The southeastern Mediterranean country this year experienced its warmest winter on record and is on track for its hottest ever summer. Large areas of Greece, including the location of this week’s blaze, have seen little or no rain for months.
Greece is on high fire alert at least until Thursday with temperatures forecast to reach up to 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). Authorities have called for an emergency response involving the army, police and volunteers during that period.
“It’s a very large fire with very aggressive behaviour and many fronts. It’s very close to the city,” said Kostas Lagouvardos, research director of the Athens Observatory.
Jabed Ahmed12 August 2024 19:14 1723484574National Observatory of Athens under threat from fire.
The wildfires have spread yo the facilities of the National Observatory of Athens on Koufos Hill in Penteli, threatening important facilities, technologies and years of research efforts.
Jabed Ahmed12 August 2024 18:42 1723483706Situation remains ‘extremely difficult’ - Fire Service spokesperson
Vassiolos Vathrakogiannis, spokesperson for the country’s fire service, has provided an updated from his organisation’s operations centre.
He said a total of 702 firefighters, supported by 27 forest commando teams, 199 vehicles, and volunteers, were fighting the ongoing wildfire that has been burning since Sunday.
A total of 30 messages have been issued via the 112 emergency service, the latest instructing residents to evacuate the settlements of New and Old Penteli, Patima Chalandriou, Patima Vrilission, Krasa Ano Vrilission, as well as from Dionysos and Kalentzi Marathon, towards safe directions, he said.
He said: “The situation remains extremely difficult in areas of northeastern Attica due to the ongoing wildfire that has been burning since yesterday.”
Alex Ross12 August 2024 18:28 1723482894Greece appeals for international help
Several other countries have agreed to send support to Greece as it tackles a huge widfire threatening Athens.
Authorities said The General Secretariat of Civil Protection initiated the activation of the European Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) with a request to provide air and ground assistance to deal with the incidents.
So far, the following have responded to the Greek request:
- France, with the shipment of one Super Puma type helicopter, which is expected to arrive this evening.
- Italy, with the dispatch of two Canadair firefighting aircraft, which are expected to arrive tomorrow morning.
- The Czech Republic, sending 75 firefighters and 25 vehicles, of which 9 are waterborne, expected to arrive tomorrow.
- Assistance from Spain and Turkey is also expected.
- Romania already have firefighters on the ground.
Greek wildfires spread on edge of Athens as map reveals evacuated areas
The Independent’s Rich Booth reports from Greece:
Greek wildfires spread on edge of Athens as map reveals evacuated areas
June and July of this year were the hottest months ever recorded in Greece
Jabed Ahmed12 August 2024 17:19 Newer1 / 4OlderDisclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.
