Forest fires in Greece: authorities order evacuation of Marathon
In the afternoon, the Fire Department had brought 33 of the 40 fires that broke out within 24 hours under control, as Fire Department spokesman Vassilis Vathrakogiannis told journalists. However, he emphasized that seven fires were still not under control.
In the East Attica regional unit, a fire was raging in the town of Varnavas. The smoke from the fire enveloped the nearby capital, Athens, in thick smoke on Sunday afternoon.
According to Vathrakogiannis, 250 personnel with 67 vehicles, 12 firefighting aircraft, and seven helicopters were deployed to combat the flames, which in many cases were "over 25 meters high."
The residents of Varnavas were advised to evacuate the area. The army supported the firefighting efforts.
Another fire broke out in Megara in the West Attica region early on Sunday afternoon. 48 firefighters and several volunteers were on the scene with 13 vehicles, two aircraft, and two helicopters.
In the region of Thessaloniki, a fire in the town of Lagadas was partially under control, while 20 firefighters, ten vehicles, and one helicopter were battling the flames.
Civil Protection Minister Vassilis Kikilias had warned on Saturday that weather conditions until August 15 could favor wildfires. "Extremely high temperatures and dangerous weather conditions" would prevail, he said at a government meeting. Due to strong winds and extreme drought, "half of Greece is in the red zone."
The research director of the National Observatory of Athens, Kostas Lagouvardos, warned on Sunday morning that the flames could quickly get out of control if not dealt with promptly, given the current weather conditions. With wind speeds reaching 80 to 90 kilometers per hour in some areas on Sunday, this was the most challenging day for firefighting.
Greece, after experiencing the warmest winter on record, also had the hottest June and July since records began in 1960, making it extremely susceptible to wildfires.
The evacuation of residents in Varnavas was ordered due to the raging fire. The Fire Department's focus remained on bringing the seven unrestrained fires, including the one in Varnavas, under The evacuation's evacuation.
