Firefighters report progress in fighting forest fires near Athens
Strong winds fanned the worst fire of this year's wildfire season so far. There are still active fire spots, a fire spokesperson said, but no "particularly concerning" areas remain.
The fire broke out on Sunday in Varnavas, about 35 kilometers north of Athens, and spread to the northeastern suburbs of Nea Penteli, Palaia Penteli, Patima Halandriou, and Virisila. According to the National Observatory, an area of 10,000 hectares has been burned so far. Many buildings and cars have been destroyed.
On Tuesday morning, the body of a woman estimated to be around 60 years old was found in a burned-out factory in Chalandri. Authorities identified her as a Moldovan citizen. She may be the first fatality linked to the fire. At least 66 people have been treated for injuries since the fires began on Sunday, including five firefighters.
Around 700 firefighters with 200 fire trucks and 12 aircraft were deployed. Additionally, nearly 300 extra firefighters, along with helicopters, fire trucks, and tanker trucks from France, Italy, Czech Republic, Romania, Serbia, and Turkey were expected. Athens had previously requested assistance and activated the 2001 EU mechanism.
It was initially unclear if Germany would send help to the region. Greece had requested special firefighting aircraft, helicopters, and several ground units, the Federal Ministry of the Interior told AFP. North Rhine-Westphalia offered to send one of its fire units, but a response from Greek authorities was still pending.
Thousands of people in the capital region had to leave their homes. People were accommodated in sports halls and animals in a former Olympic stadium. For the second day in a row, thick smoke hung over large parts of the capital. Scientists warned of a worrying increase in hazardous particles in the air.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis cut short his vacation and returned to Athens, where he called a crisis meeting for Tuesday. So far, he has not made any public statements about the fires. After last year's devastating wildfire season, there has been renewed criticism of the government's management in the press.
Given the situation in Greece, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, called on heads of state and government around the world to honor their commitments to combat climate change. "The fires in Greece threaten lives and health and are extremely worrying," Tedros wrote on the online service X.
After the warmest winter ever recorded, June and July were also the hottest months on record in Greece. The wildfire risk is extremely high, with several fires breaking out daily.
The wildfire spread to the northeastern areas of Nea Penteli, Palaia Penteli, and other suburbs. The international aid, including helicopters from countries like France, Italy, and Turkey, is expected to assist in battling the fires in these north-east regions.
