Greece (Transatlantic Today) – A large wildfire that is still spreading has caused thousands of residents in Athens’ northern suburbs to flee. The region is experiencing a high temperature, which has exacerbated the fire that started on Saturday afternoon.
Greece has triggered the European Union’s Civil Protection Mechanism in response to the worsening crisis and is requesting assistance from its neighbors. Italy, France, the Czech Republic, and Romania are providing air and ground support to help extinguish the fire, according to EU spokeswoman Balazs Ujvari.
International Aid Arrives
Several European nations have quickly mobilized resources to aid Greece. France is sending a Super Puma helicopter equipped with a water bucket, 180 civil security firefighters, and 55 vehicles. Italy will contribute two Canadair-type firefighting aircraft, while the Czech Republic is deploying 75 firefighters and 25 vehicles, including nine waterborne units. Additional support from Spain and Turkey is expected in the coming days.
About 670 firefighters from the Greek National Fire Service have been dispatched to put out the fire, which department spokesman Vassileios Vathrakogiannis has called “exceptionally dangerous.” The situation is still dire despite their best attempts because of the strong winds and dry weather that are stoking the fire.
According to Euronews, residents have shared harrowing accounts of the wildfire’s rapid advance. Spyros Gorilas, a resident of Dioni, described the chaos as the fire neared his home, saying, “The wind would go in one direction and then in the other. The smoke was suffocating. You couldn’t see. Your eyes teared up. You couldn’t breathe.”
Another resident, Giannis Alvanos, who had just rebuilt his home after losing it to a fire two years ago, evacuated when ordered but later returned to defend his property. “I didn’t want to lose my property for a second time,” Alvanos said, praising the firefighters for their swift response.
Social Media Captures the Crisis
Large clouds of smoke are visible on the horizon as the skies surrounding Athens turn a menacing yellow in videos that have been uploaded online. Greece experiences numerous wildfires in the hot, dry summer months, but scientists are concerned that climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of these fires.
A Deadly History of Wildfires in Greece
The current wildfire crisis follows a deadly pattern. Last year, wildfires in Greece claimed over 20 lives, underscoring the growing threat these natural disasters pose to the region.
