A massive wildfire has gone unchecked on the northern outskirts of the Greek capital, prompting many evacuation instructions for Athens’ surrounding towns and suburbs. High winds have intensified the struggle for the hundreds of firefighters and many aircraft dispersing water. Intense flames, reaching upwards of 25m (80ft), were sparked on Sunday afternoon, ravaging homes and sending a cloud of smoke and ash over central Athens, with the scent of burning persisting.
Numerous power outages have been reported across many sections of the capital, disrupting traffic signals at significant intersections. Due to ongoing heat waves this summer, the wildfire is swiftly spreading through parched, highly flammable pine forests. Greece recorded its highest-ever temperatures in June and July of this year along with its warmest-ever winter.
Emergency services, combating what Vassilis Kikilias, the Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister, described as a “uniquely hazardous fire” have been working for over 20 hours in severe conditions. The majority of the fire was mainly across two different fronts, with some areas particularly challenging to access on the northeast mountainside of Athens, according to Mr Kikilias.
The fire department has deployed 685 firefighters, supported by 27 specialist groups trained for wildfires, including over 80 military personnel. Additionally, over 190 vehicles, 17 water-dropping planes and 16 helicopters provided immediate ground and air support. A paediatric hospital, a military hospital, two monasteries and a children’s home were emptied first, followed by another hospital later on Monday.
Emergency alerts on mobile phones urged the local population to evacuate, as fires engulfed homes in several regions, with the exact number of destroyed homes still uncertain. Local resident Spyros Gorilas of Dioni described the disorientating conditions. Reports told of shifting winds, suffocating smoke, limited visibility and difficulty breathing. Even the helicopters dispersing water overhead were audible but not visible in the haze. In an effort to protect his own home, Gorilas doused it with water.
Throughout the day, further suburbs of Athens were placed under evacuation orders due to the ongoing aggressive winds. According to Fire Department representative, Col Vassileios Vathrakogiannis, more than 40 new instances of fire were tackled since early Monday in locations where the fire had previously moderately subsided.
Vathrakogiannis also disclosed that three of Athens hospitals were put on alert due to the situation. Additionally, there had been cases where paramedics and ambulances had assisted two firefighters – one with minor burns, the other with respiratory trouble – and a total of 13 civilians also experiencing breathing issues.
The Athens Medical Association advised that residents close to fire-affected regions exercise extreme caution, giving particular emphasis to those with ongoing health conditions, the elderly, those expecting babies, young children and individuals suffering from heart and respiratory issues.
In response to the flames, Greece’s coast guard redirected all ferries en route to and from the nearby Rafina port, predominately serving Crete and the Cycladic islands, to instead dock at the port of Lavrion.
Authorities have organised accommodation for evacuees in suburbs nearby, creating space in hotels and in at least one sports hall. Meanwhile, further suburbs have been notified of the likelihood of needed evacuation.
The wildfire, which roared into life 35km from Athens, was whipped up by high winds, becoming quickly uncontrollable since it started on Sunday afternoon.
In view of the prevailing weather conditions from Sunday until Thursday, government officials and meteorologists cautioned about the increased risk of wildfires, placing half of the country under a “red alert” for fire hazard.
This occurrence isn’t uncommon in Greece, which often experiences wildfires during its hot, dry summer months, but officials have indicated that climate change is resulting in larger and more frequent fires.
In 2018, over 100 people lost their lives when an extensive wildfire engulfed the coastal town of Mati, to Athens’ east, blocking residents both in their homes and on the highway, as they tried to escape in their vehicles and some even drowned while trying to swim away from the engulfing flames.
Last year, wildfires in Greece claimed over 20 lives, including 18 migrants who were cornered by the fire while journeying through a northeastern Greece forest. That particular fire took more than two weeks to extinguish. As according to AP (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2024.