thousands evacuated –

August 12, 2024

Greece is currently battling the flames that are devouring the Attica region and have reached the outskirts of Athens, causing the evacuation of thousands of residents. The fire, which broke out on Sunday afternoon near the village of Varnava, spread rapidly due to strong winds, extending along a front of about 30 kilometers, according to what Greek public television ERT reported. The blaze developed in pine forests left dry by repeated heat waves this summer. June and July were in fact the hottest months ever recorded in Greece. Yesterday, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis returned to the capital to follow the evolution of the situation first-hand.

Around 700 firefighters are working to put out the flames that in some places have reached the impressive height of over 25 meters. The EU, at the request of the Greek authorities, has activated the civil protection mechanism and sent reinforcements, including two Canadairs from Italy and a helicopter from France. “We stand alongside Greece in the fight against devastating fires,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on X.

Throughout the day, there were reports of evacuation orders in towns and villages in the Athens area. Power cuts were reported in the Greek capital and traffic lights at some major intersections were out of order. A blanket of smoke and ash enveloped the city, leaving a strong burning smell in the air, with flames reaching 13 km (8 miles) from the centre. The Greek coast guard ordered all ferries to and from the port of Rafina, which mainly serves the Cyclades islands and Crete, to be diverted to the southern port of Lavrio. Two firefighters were slightly injured and 13 people were treated for breathing problems caused by the smoke. Three hospitals, including a children’s hospital, two monasteries and a children’s home were evacuated in the afternoon and at least 30 emergency alerts were sent to mobile phones in the area urging people to flee. Three hospitals in Athens were on high alert.

We are facing “an exceptionally dangerous fire, which we have been fighting for more than 20 hours in dramatic circumstances”, said the Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Vassilis Kikilias. While the mayor of Marathon, a historic city evacuated yesterday, spoke of a “biblical catastrophe”. Some residents did not want to leave their homes and were then rescued by firefighters who launched an appeal to the population to follow the evacuation orders.

Forest fires are common in Greece, but climate change is causing larger and more frequent blazes, local authorities said. In 2018, flames engulfed the seaside town of Mati, east of Athens, killing more than 100 people. Last year, fires killed more than 20 people in the country, including 18 migrants who were trapped while walking through a forest in the northeast.