- Large fire north of Athens
North of Athens, a large fire is raging. Smoke plumes rose and reached the Greek capital, located around 30 kilometers to the south. Several villages and towns in the Varnavas and Marathon areas were evacuated. Accompanied by fire trucks and police, hundreds of residents were brought to safety, as shown by Greek television.
A spokesperson for the fire department said on Greek radio: "The flames are rising more than 25 meters high." Just before sunset, 15 water-bombing aircraft and 11 helicopters were in operation, as the fire department reported. "It will be a long night," said a fire officer to reporters on the scene. Several hundred firefighters and numerous volunteers were in operation, it was said.
Many people suffered from smoke inhalation and were taken to hospitals, as reported by Greek media. Initially, it was unclear how many houses were destroyed or damaged. Television reporters reported seeing dozens of houses burning. In some cases, there were disputes between residents and the police. Many people refused to leave their houses despite the approaching flames and tried to save their belongings with garden hoses. Tourist facilities were initially not threatened, as reported.
The meteorologists and the civil defense had warned repeatedly over the weekend: Due to the extreme drought and the strong winds currently around the Aegean, the smallest fire could become a large fire within a few minutes. How this fire started remained initially unclear. The civil defense published a map showing that the highest fire danger level is in the region around Athens and in large parts of central Greece. The situation will remain extremely dangerous in the coming days, the civil defense said. It has not rained properly in most regions of Greece for months.
Firefighters and the police worked together to evacuate residents, ensuring their safety. despite resistance from some residents, the police insisting on evacuation due to the imminent danger of the large fire.
