Greece: Major fire near Athens, around forty fires throughout the country

Greece is once again hit by major fires this weekend.

The flames devastate Mount Parnitha, near Athens.

Around forty forest fires were reported this Saturday throughout the country, without any casualties to be deplored.

Summers follow one another and are similar in Greece. As in recent years, the summer season is once again giving way to major fires in the country. This Saturday, one of them broke out on Mount Parnitha, a few kilometers from the capital Athens. For the moment, the winds do not seem to be blowing towards the residential areas of the city and the flames are therefore not threatening human lives. In fact, the spread of the fire is first oriented in an area that has burned during previous fires.

However, the strong gusts sent the smoke towards the centre of the Greek capital, where a smell of burning wood was noticeable.There is no longer an active front“in the hearth of the fire,”but the fight is not yet over even if the situation has improved“, assured the Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, Vassilis Kikilias, in the evening. Reinforcements are currently being sent from several other parts of the Greek territory to help control the disaster in the surroundings of the capital. Another forest fire has also been noted 20 kilometers north of Athens, also mobilizing significant resources.

A country on alert again on Sunday

This Saturday alone, Greece experienced about forty forest fires throughout its territory. According to the authorities’ forecasts for Sunday, a very high fire risk, assessed as category 4, is being faced by the region of Attica, the southern Peloponnese peninsula, Crete, the islands of the northern and southern parts of the Aegean Sea as well as for central Greece. Accustomed to the scorching heat of summer, Greece has been preparing for weeks for a particularly difficult season in terms of fires.

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After the hottest winter in its history, the country experienced its first heatwave last week, with temperatures exceeding 44°C in some areas. In 2023, a two-week heatwave was followed by devastating forest fires that killed 20 people. This year, six people have already died due to the scorching temperatures experienced in the region in recent weeks.


TA with AFP

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