Fire inferno in Greece: 1,600 hectares destroyed, danger remains high!

Fire inferno in Greece: 1,600 hectares destroyed, danger remains high!

The forest fires in Greece continue to pose an enormous challenge for the emergency services. Despite a significant easing of tensions in recent days, the Greek fire brigades brought numerous fires under control over the weekend. However, the situation remains tense as the risk of fire remains high due to the ongoing drought and particularly strong winds. The regions southeast of Athens, the Peloponnese peninsula and the island of Euboea are particularly affected. Almost 1,600 hectares of agricultural land as well as forest and bush areas have already been burnt, as Radio Ennepe Ruhr reports.

Several towns in the affected areas had to be evacuated as a precaution. Around 400 people were brought to safety. Tragically, a man died when his remote home was engulfed in flames. Dozens of houses were damaged or even completely destroyed, and many animals could not be saved. The fire brigade has now largely got the situation under control in many areas, but the risk of new fires remains extremely high. Arson is now suspected in a town near Athens after a gas bottle and a suspicious person were found on a motorcycle.

Causes and investigations

The authorities are currently working on determining the exact causes of the devastating fires. Investigations have revealed that a defective power cable may have caused a fire in southeast Athens. In this context, two technicians from the state distribution network operator (HEDNO) were temporarily arrested. The Greek government has asked for help from the EU and is requesting six firefighting aircraft through RescEU to support the operations. Firefighters from the Czech Republic are also already on duty to deal with the catastrophic situation, as Tagesschau reports.

At the same time, other countries in the region are also struggling with similar problems. In Cyprus, a forest fire broke out north of Limassol over the past few days. Despite the challenges in Greece, the fire there is now under control. In Cyprus, around 120 square kilometers have already burned and two people lost their lives when their car was engulfed in flames. There are numerous injured people who are currently being treated in hospitals and many animals could not be saved either.

The look forward

The extreme weather conditions - heat, drought and stormy winds - are encouraging forest fires not only in Greece, but also in neighboring Türkiye, where flames are threatening residential areas. The highest warning levels apply in many regions, including the Peloponnese and the islands of Crete and the Cyclades. The fire department has mobilized numerous firefighting helicopters and aircraft to fight the flames, but the situation remains serious [ZDF](https://www.zdfheute.de/panorama/griechenland-wald-braende-100.html#:~:text=Das%20Problem%20ist%20der%20star ke%20bis%20st%C3%BCrmic%20Wind%2C, EU aid%20an%2C%20in%20der%20T%C3%BCrkei%20threaten%20flames%20residential areas.) describes.

The coming days will be crucial to finally extinguish the fires and restore the affected areas. The population hopes for comprehensive support and an improvement in the situation, while the authorities and emergency services continue to do everything they can to fight the flames and prevent the worst.