Greece Wildfires Burn Over 16,000 Hectares as Winds Hamper Aircraft
Greece wildfires have scorched more than 16,000 hectares of land across the country, forcing evacuations and damaging homes near Athens as gale-force winds limit aerial operations. [2] [3] Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis warned of extremely difficult days ahead due to the intensity of the weather. [1] [2]
Multiple Blazes Rage Across Greece
Nearly 500 firefighters are battling blazes around the coastal village of Porto Germeno, 70 km northwest of Athens, after the fire scaled a mountain overnight and threatens the western outskirts of the capital. [2] [3] A new fire broke out late Saturday on the island of Cephalonia, while another blaze is being fought by 100 firefighters in Aigialia in the northern Peloponnese. [2] [3] Earlier this week fires on the islands of Crete and Paros affected another 6,000 hectares according to meteo.gr. [2] [3] The National Observatory's climate tracker meteo.gr said early estimates indicated that over 6,500 hectares had been burned in separate fires on the Gulf of Corinth which also swept Porto Germeno. [2] [3] Researchers estimate that some 16,000 hectares of land have been destroyed across the country. [3] [4] Porto Germeno and other villages were evacuated when the fire broke out on Friday but local authorities say scores of homes were damaged or destroyed. [2] [3] "We could not believe what we were seeing, the fire spread extremely rapidly," said Nikos Georgopoulos from the laboratory of forest management at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. [2] [3] "Porto Germeno had a small fire three years ago. Now the flames have swept over it again," he told state TV ERT. [2] [3]
Prime Minister Warns of Extreme Conditions
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Greece had faced extreme weather conditions and winds that often reached 100 km/h. [2] [3] "When the winds blow with such force, even the dozens of aircraft we have at our disposal cannot operate safely," he wrote on Facebook. [2] [3] "There are moments when nature and the intensity of weather phenomena surpass any human planning and any operational capability." [1] [2] [3] From Athens to Bordeaux, Europe's wildfire emergency rages on with gale-force winds driving flames deeper into the Athens region and forcing fresh evacuations. [1] France guarded a still-burning scar four times the size of Paris against renewed spread while Spain's major blazes continued. [1]
Firefighters battle a wildfire near Porto Germeno northwest of Athens as blazes spread across Greece. — Source: bangkokpost
Damage Toll and Megafire Classification
Early estimates show over 6,500 hectares burned in fires on the Gulf of Corinth including Porto Germeno, with the total across the country now estimated at 16,000 hectares. [2] [3] The Porto Germeno fire alone may exceed 10,000 hectares and be classified as a megafire. [2] [3] Theodore Giannaros, a wildfire meteorologist and senior researcher at the National Observatory, said the fires around Porto Germeno appear to have affected an area of over 10,000 hectares. [2] [3] "Unfortunately, it is highly likely (if not almost certain) that this particular wildfire will be classified as a megafire," Giannaros wrote on Facebook. [2] [3] Researchers estimate that some 16,000 hectares of land have been destroyed across the country. [3] [4] Porto Germeno and other villages were evacuated when the fire broke out on Friday but local authorities say scores of homes were damaged or destroyed. [2] [3]
Helicopter Collision and Firefighter Fatalities
Two firefighting helicopters collided while battling a wildfire in the Psatha area west of Athens, prompting immediate search and rescue mobilization. [3] [4] "Search and rescue teams were immediately mobilised to locate and assist the crews," the fire service said. [3] [4] Three firefighters have died this week in the line of duty, two in Crete and one in the Peloponnese. [2] [3] Firefighters have faced dozens of fires daily. [2] [3]
Firefighting Limits and Ongoing Risk
Greece's Civil Protection Minister Evangelos Tournas on Saturday said the fire department had been pushed to its limits. [2] [3] Gale-force winds created extremely difficult conditions resulting in many cases where aircraft either cannot draw water or cannot carry out drops due to extreme turbulence. [2] [3] Though the winds eased late on Saturday, the greater Athens area and nearby Voiotia and the island of Evia were under near maximum fire risk on Sunday, the civil protection ministry said. [2] [3] Hit hard by the climate crisis like the rest of the Mediterranean region, Greece is plagued by wildfires every summer due to high temperatures, frequent heat waves and drought. [2] [3]
Broader European Wildfire Context
From Athens to Bordeaux, Europe's wildfire emergency rages on. [1] The effects of human-made climate change are being felt across Europe during this sweltering summer, from record heat-related deaths in Austria, Britain, France and Germany, to tinderbox conditions fuelling historic wildfires in Spain, France and elsewhere. [5] Hit hard by the climate crisis like the rest of the Mediterranean region, Greece is plagued by wildfires every summer due to high temperatures, frequent heat waves and drought. [2] [3]
What to watch next: Greater Athens, Voiotia and Evia remain under near-maximum fire risk on Sunday even as winds eased, amid Greece's vulnerability to summer wildfires driven by high temperatures, heat waves and drought linked to the climate crisis. [2] [3]
