Greece counts twice as many forest fires in June as in the same month last year
In Greece, according to government statements, there were more than double the number of forest fires in June compared to the same month last year. The government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis stated that there were 1281 forest fires in June, compared to 533 in June 2023. Newspaper "Kathimerini" quoted the National Observatory in Athens, which reported that the burned area in this June was 9800 hectares, five times larger than the average since 2010.
Forest fires, fueled by strong winds and drought, have been raging in the past few weeks in the regions around Athens, the Peloponnese, and the island of Chios in the north-eastern Aegean Sea.
The forecast map released by the Disaster Management Ministry warned of high fire danger for Tuesday, particularly in the area around the capital.
Every year, Greece experiences devastating forest fires. This year, the situation could be worse than usual. According to scientists, forest fires are often more frequent and intense due to human-induced global warming.
The increase in forest fires in June this year surpassed the figures from the previous year's month by a significant margin. The area burned in June 2024 was a staggering 9800 hectares, significantly more than the average burned surface area of June since 2010. Due to the numerous forest fires, the total hectares of Greek forests affected in June 2024 might surpass the figures from any previous June since the 2010 average.
