Since early this morning, 40 forest fires have broken out across the country, according to fire service sources.
The fires follow a long period of little rain and several weeks of temperatures of over 35 degrees Celsius. Gusts of more than 100 kilometers per hour made operations difficult, a fire department spokesman said on television. According to the meteorological office, the winds reached force eight. The clouds of smoke spread and in many areas of Athens there was a stench of burnt wood and ash fell.
“In general, the conditions are difficult and dangerous,” said fire department spokesman Vasilis Vathrakogiannis at a press conference. Strong winds and numerous high-voltage pylons in the area of the Parnitha massif north of Athens made it difficult to use firefighting aircraft. Reinforcements from other Greek regions are helping to fight the fires together with volunteer fire departments.
The situation in Parnitha has improved, Civil Protection Minister Vassilis Kikilias said in the evening. However, the fight is “not over yet,” he warned.
Another fire broke out
Another fire broke out in the followingnoon, 20 kilometers northwest of Athens in Lakka Katsari. A fire in the southeastern town of Keratea was brought under control.
The Civil Protection Ministry’s fire warning map predicted a very high fire risk for Sunday in the regions of Attica, Peloponnese, Crete, Northern and Southern Aegean and Central Greece.
Authorities urged people to stay away from forest areas. Forest fires are not uncommon in Greece, but they have become more devastating in recent years as summers have become hotter, drier and windier, which scientists link to the effects of climate change.
Last year, 20 people died in forest fires in Greece. According to the National Observatory of Athens, the flames scorched almost 175,000 hectares of forest and agricultural land.