- Aid for victims of fires near Athens begins
With a series of measures, the Greek government aims to assist those who have lost their belongings in the catastrophic fires near Athens in recent days. Thousands of residents had to flee the flames, many houses burned down or were damaged, and agricultural operations and businesses were also affected. However, the region cannot yet be considered safe: Glow spots continue to flare up, and the wind continues to carry sparks, causing new fires.
In the morning, the fire department retrieved the body of a woman from a burned-out factory building who had not been able to escape the flames, as reported by Greek media. This is the only confirmed fatality so far. More than 40 villages have been evacuated as a precaution since Sunday, a strategy that has proven effective. Despite the massive, sometimes 25-meter-high and kilometer-long flames, there were only 13 people with minor smoke inhalation injuries. Additionally, one firefighter was lightly injured, and another was seriously injured on Monday during the firefighting efforts.
Swift aid for the affected
The Greek Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, in collaboration with other ministries, has developed an initial aid plan. Among other things, those whose homes are damaged can immediately apply for support of 5,000 to 10,000 euros for initial repairs, depending on the damage. Those who can no longer return home because their accommodation has been destroyed will receive a grant to cover rent in the short term. According to media reports, state inspectors are already in the region to evaluate the damaged homes. Businesses and agricultural operations will also be able to apply for aid and interest-free loans.
Fire situation significantly improved
Currently, the fire department is mainly focused on prevention, and the remaining fires are under control. A comparison of satellite images from the US space agency NASA shows the difference between Monday and Tuesday: Initially, the fire front was over 30 kilometers long and up to almost 10 kilometers wide, but on Tuesday, there were only a few isolated fires. Nevertheless, 17 aircraft and 18 helicopters, as well as hundreds of firefighters, remain deployed in the large region.
The main threat comes from so-called glow spots that smolder in the ground and can develop into new fires at any time. The wind, which had subsided at night, is expected to pick up again and continue for the next few days. Stormy winds were what fueled and drove a small fire on Sunday to become a massive fire front.
Help in controlling the large area is being provided by EU member states through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. Among others, Czech Republic, France, and Italy, Serbia, Romania, and Turkey have sent firefighting aircraft, helicopters, fire trucks, and personnel. Romanian, Moldovan, and Maltese deployment teams were already stationed in Greece, as announced by the EU Commission.
One of the last green lungs of Athens has been burned
According to initial estimates, an area of 100 square kilometers has been destroyed, including a forest area that was considered one of the last "green lungs" of the metropolis of Athens. In the capital, the air has been heavily polluted by fine dust due to the extreme smoke development in the past two days - more than 100 micrograms of the tiny particles per cubic meter of air were measured at times. The EU limit value is 25 micrograms.
Despite the improvements, the Greek government warns of potential fire disaster relapses due to the persistent glow spots and anticipated wind conditions.
Consequently, the authorities emphasize the importance of vigilance and swift action in minimizing any further damage from potential fire disasters.
