Strong winds, scorching temperatures expected Tuesday.
1 of 3 | On Monday, Greek residents watch the fire at Penteli mount in northeast Attica but the fire raged despite efforts by civil protection forces throughout the night. New evacuation orders were given in the local morning hours on Tuesday to residents near Athens in northeastern Attica, and in the seaside town of Nea Makri. Photo by George Vitsaras/EPA-EFE
The large wildfire burning in Greece now has killed at least one person, injured multiple others as scores of property and thousands of acres of land have been devastated in what is being described as the nations’ worst wildfire in recent memory, according to sources.
On Tuesday, government authorities said the charred body of an unidentified 64-year-old woman was found inside a factory in the town of Vrilissia shortly after midnight local time less than 10 miles from Athens, the nation’s capital. Advertisement
New evacuation orders were given in the local morning hours on Tuesday to residents near Athens in northeastern Attica, and in the seaside town of Nea Makri as thousands fleed the capital’s suburbs.
The Greek government had called for European Union assistance to assist firefighters in what is now an international mission between several other nations. “The EU civil protection mechanism was activated upon request of the Greek authorities,” said EU spokesman Balazs Ujvari. Advertisement
Strong winds of 37-43 mph are anticipated with temperatures expected to reached up to 104 degrees Fahrenheit, or 40 degrees Celsius, as more than 700 people, including 27 specialized wildfire teams and military personnel have engaged to help preserve Athens from the flames.
So far, reports indicate more than 24,000 acres of land have been burned. Winds had temporarily eased, but they are expected to pick back up later in the day.
Escalating Crisis: The Growing Severity of Wildfires in Greece
Our thoughts are with all those affected, our respect, thanks and appreciation to all the emergency service workers, firefighters, police, Red Cross and all the volunteers.
All the up-to-the-minute news on:… pic.twitter.com/QqMZhhBXJx— Greek City Times (@greekcitytimes) August 13, 2024
An emergency meeting to address the wildfires’ management was set to be lead by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis later on Tuesday as local authorities are expected to stay on high alert for the next few days.
“Forty hours after the extremely dangerous wildfire broke out in Varnava,” the prime minister said, “we now say that there is no active front, only scattered hotspots.”
Three hospitals, including a children’s, two monasteries and a children’s home had been evacuated as hundreds of firefighters, vehicles and dozens of aircraft battled the flames as ferry boats were diverted to other harbors and hotels and other buildings became makeshift evacuation centers. Advertisement
“The fire has been nothing short of a nightmare, a real-life ‘Apocalypse Now’. Watching this massive blaze approach has been surreal, like something out of a dark fantasy,” Roberta Kapsalis, who lives in the seaside town of Schinias in Marathon, told Metro.
“The sight of the flames consuming everything in their path, inching closer and closer, has felt like a slow-motion horror movie.”
Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Vasilis Kikilias previously said that 670 fire-fighters, 27 forest commando units, 183 vehicles, 17 airplanes and 15 helicopters had originally been deployed to fight the fires as international aid arrived from France, Italy, the Czech Republic, Turkey, Serbia and Romania.
French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said Paris is deploying 180 firefighters, 55 trucks and a helicopter to assist.
Meanwhile, Greece’ civil protection ministry confirmed aid from Spain is being “finalized” while neighboring Turkey says it was sending two planes and a helicopter to help battle the ongoing flames.
On Sunday, flames were reported to be as high as 80 feet as the wildfire advanced rapidly southward toward Athens when it broke out at Lake Marathon near Varnavas early that day about 22 miles northeast of the capital, raging out of control into densely populated neighborhoods by strong winds and temperatures in the mid-30s Celsius that are forecast to edge close to 40 degrees Celsius in coming days. Advertisement
Wildfires in Greece are not uncommon but its encroachment on urban life is considered unusual for the European country neighboring Turkey.
In 2018, at least 74 people died and more than 150 were injured in similar wildfires that swept through a resort town near Athens also fueled by strong winds.
And last year in August, 18 people were found dead by Greek authorities in a forest near the Turkish border as they were headed to Dadia national park in Evros in wildfires that devastated the region for several days.
The ongoing fires around Athens were among 40 that were reported to have ignited across Greece with firefighters battling some of the blazes after the country saw its hottest June and July since modern record-keeping began in 1960.
