Forest fires near Athens slowly abating
The situation in Athens is easing slightly after the devastating fires in the surrounding area. The fire department remains on high alert, however, as the fires are not yet extinguished. Those returning to their homes are met with a scene of devastation.
In Greece, the wildfires around Athens have eased thanks to diminishing winds. "The situation has improved, but there are still isolated fires," said a spokesperson for the local fire department. "We remain on high alert." The fire had spread, according to eyewitness accounts, up to 14 kilometers from the city center of Athens and reached the suburb of Vrilissia, where a 64-year-old woman was found dead in a shop.
The Greek government has announced aid and compensation for those affected by the fire, which has so far damaged around 10,000 hectares of land - an area roughly the size of 14,000 football fields, according to the National Observatory of Athens. The state measures include rental subsidies, a three-year exemption from property tax, and financial assistance. Meanwhile, firefighting aircraft from France and Italy have arrived, as the smoky sky over the Greek capital began to clear.
Previously, Greece had activated the European civil protection mechanism. Apart from support from France, Italy, and the Czech Republic with aircraft and firefighters, Spain and Turkey have also offered help. Throughout the day, residents and firefighters returned to affected parts of Athens to assess the damage.
They were met with a scene of devastation: kitchens and living rooms were blackened by the fire, ceilings had collapsed, and cars were reduced to charred skeletons. More than 30 areas, as well as at least three hospitals, had to be evacuated. Parts of the Athens region experienced power outages. Roads to the port of Rafina northeast of the capital were rerouted. The country remains on high alert until Thursday due to expected strong winds and temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius.
The cause of the fire remains unclear. Since May, hundreds of wildfires have broken out across Greece. While this is not uncommon in Greece during the summer, unusually hot and dry weather, linked to climate change, has increased the frequency and intensity of the fires, according to scientists. After the warmest winter ever recorded and a long period of extreme drought, Greece is now heading towards the hottest summer on record.
Despite the improvement in the situation, there are still reports of forest fires persisting in certain areas of Greece. The local fire department continues to remain vigilant, as the instances of wildfires have been frequent due to the unusually hot and dry weather conditions.
