A forest fire broke out this Saturday on Mount Parnitha, near the city of Athens, after authorities warned of the very high risks of fires breaking out in six regions of the country. “In general, the prevailing conditions are difficult and dangerous,” underlined the fire brigade spokesperson.
A wildfire broke out on Mount Parnitha near Athens on Saturday afternoon, as authorities warned of the very high risk of similar fires breaking out in six regions of Greece. Reinforcements are being sent from several other parts of Greece to help control the blaze in the vicinity of the capital, fire service spokesman Vasilis Vathrakogiannis told reporters. “Overall, the prevailing conditions are difficult and dangerous,” he said.
12 helicopters are in intervention
In addition to the wind speed, which sometimes exceeded 100 km/h, the density of high-voltage electrical pylons also hampers the intervention of firefighting planes, of which there are only four. There are therefore mainly twelve helicopters which are currently in intervention, added Vasilis Vathrakogiannis. The spokesperson also praised the contribution of the numerous volunteer firefighters present on site as well as the water tankers provided by the Attica region – where Athens is located – and the general staff of the army. .
For the moment, the winds do not seem to be blowing towards residential areas, spreading the flames towards an area of Mount Parnitha that has been burned during previous fires. Saturday’s fire started in the Katsimidi forest area. However, the strong gusts have sent the smoke towards the centre of the Greek capital where a smell of burning wood is noticeable. According to the forecast for Sunday by the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, a very high fire risk (category 4) is faced by the region of Attica, the southern Peloponnese peninsula, the island of Crete, the northern and southern parts of the Aegean Sea and central Greece.
Another forest fire broke out on Saturday afternoon in Aspropyrgos, a municipality in western Attica, while an evacuation message was sent to the surrounding residents. Earlier, a fire in the town of Keratea, in eastern Attica, was brought under control thanks to the massive mobilization of the authorities who had called for the evacuation of two villages. Across Greece, a total of 40 forest fires have broken out since dawn, firefighters announced.
Accustomed to the scorching heat of summer, Greece has been bracing for weeks for a particularly difficult season in terms of fires. After the hottest winter on record, 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.
