Greece, again at war with massive deadly fires

2024-10-01 15:46:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Greece, again at war with massive deadly fires

A helicopter drops water on a fire in the village of Sofiana, about 142 kilometers west of Athens, Greece, on October 1, 2024. Source: AP

Hundreds of firefighters and volunteers in southern Greece have been battling a massive blaze for a third straight day that has killed two people and destroyed a large area of ??forest, prompting pledges of help from other European Union countries.

Three water jets are expected to arrive from Italy and Croatia later on Tuesday after Greece requested help through the European bloc's civil emergency mechanism.

The Greek fire service said more than 400 firefighters, aided by 20 aircraft, were battling the fires in the Corinthian mountains in the Peloponnese region.

Authorities were optimistic that the main fire front had died down, leaving a large number of smaller scattered fires. However, it remains unclear whether this success will continue when winds pick up again, risking further spread of the flames again.

The government spokesman, Pavlos Marinakis, said that the work of the firefighters was initially made difficult by the difficult terrain and the poor road network.

"During the first, decisive phase of the fire, firefighters had great difficulty reaching the fire because of the narrow streets," he said. "Many gullies and strong winds that day greatly hindered the efforts of the firefighters," added Marinakis.

Officials ordered another village to be evacuated as a precaution on Tuesday, a day after dozens of similar orders were issued in other areas.

The fire destroyed a historic church in the mountains and reportedly damaged buildings outside the affected villages, but the fire service did not provide further details.

The two victims were identified as local residents who were trapped Sunday night by the rapidly spreading flames.

Greece, like other southern European countries, faces devastating forest fires every summer that have been exacerbated by global warming. Over the past few months, the fire service has dealt with more than 4,500 forest fires.

This summer had been described as the most dangerous fire season in two decades, as the terrain was parched by a long drought and early summer heatwaves.

However, Greece's large investments in additional water-fighting aircraft, warning drones and other equipment have meant that most fires are extinguished shortly after they break out./ REL