First death in Greek forest fires - EU sends firefighters
Hundreds of firefighters continue to battle the third day of a blaze that broke out Sunday afternoon in the town of Varnavas, about 35 kilometers northeast of the Greek capital. Fanned by strong winds, the fire has grown into a front of flames around 30 kilometers wide, with some flames reaching over 25 meters in height, according to state broadcaster ERT.
As of Tuesday, around 700 firefighters, 200 fire trucks, and nine aircraft were deployed to combat the blaze. Fire service spokesman Costas Tsigkas announced initial successes in battling the fire on Tuesday morning, but warned that conditions remain challenging. "From midday, there will be wind," he said, "and with each passing hour, it becomes more difficult."
Temperatures in Athens are expected to reach up to 38 degrees Celsius and wind speeds of up to 39 kilometers per hour on Tuesday.
Since the fires began on Sunday, at least one firefighter has suffered severe burn injuries, and another has been hospitalized with breathing difficulties. According to the Greek Health Ministry, 66 people have been treated for injuries related to the fire.
Several EU countries, as well as Turkey and Serbia, have sent support to Greece to help combat the fires. Under a 2001 EU mechanism, around 180 firefighters and 55 vehicles have been dispatched from various countries, with about 90 firefighters coming from southeastern France. Italy, Czech Republic, and Romania have also contributed to the effort. Turkey announced on Monday evening that it would send two firefighting aircraft.
On Monday, the flames reached suburbs of the capital, Athens, forcing thousands of residents from several neighborhoods to flee. Several settlements have been evacuated.
Meanwhile, the conservative Greek government has faced criticism in the press over its handling of the wildfire. "Enough is enough," headlined the centrist daily "Ta Nea". The liberal newspaper "Kathimerini" wrote that the "out-of-control" fire had left "massive destruction and open questions". The leftist "Efsyn" called for the evacuation of Maximos, the prime minister's official residence.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis cut short his vacation and returned to the capital on Sunday. He visited the Civil Protection Ministry on Monday but has not yet commented on the fires.
According to the National Observatory, which was itself threatened by the flames, the fire has so far destroyed at least 10,000 hectares of land.
The fires have brought back memories in Greece of the 2018 disaster in the coastal town of Mati, near Marathon, where 104 people died, some while trying to escape the flames in their cars.
Firefighters from multiple countries, including France, Italy, the Czech Republic, and Romania, have joined the Greek firefighting efforts to combat the blaze. Despite initial successes, fire service spokesman Costas Tsigkas cautions that the upcoming strong winds and high temperatures will make the situation more challenging.
