A wildfire ignited in a forest area north of Athens on Saturday afternoon, with high winds making firefighters’ tasks significantly harder. The fire, one of at least 40 that have erupted across Greece since dawn, has caused significant damage and forced evacuations. Wind speeds exceeding 100 kilometers (62 miles) per hour have exacerbated the situation, according to fire brigade sources quoted by AFP. Fire Department spokesperson Vasilis Vathrakogiannis described the conditions as “difficult and dangerous.”
Wildfires are a common occurrence in Greece, but they have become increasingly devastating in recent years due to hotter and drier summers, a trend scientists attribute to climate change. Last week, a wildfire near Athens forced dozens to flee their homes, with authorities suggesting arson may have been a factor, alongside the hot and dry conditions. Greece is facing a particularly challenging wildfire season following its warmest winter and earliest heatwave on record, with temperatures reaching 44°C (111°F).
Strong winds and numerous high-voltage pylons in the area of Mount Parnitha, known as “the lungs of Athens,” are hampering the use of firefighting aircraft. Reinforcements from the regions of Thessaly, Epirus, and Central Macedonia, as well as volunteer firefighters, are assisting in tackling the forest fires. The winds have carried smoke into the center of Athens, and a message was sent to people in nearby areas via the emergency number 112 to be on standby due to the fire. “There is no longer an active front at the fire that started in Katsimidi, Parnitha but the fight is not yet over even though the situation has improved,” Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Vasilis Kikilias said in a statement Saturday evening.
The Fire Danger Forecast Map issued for Sunday by the Civil Protection Ministry predicts a very high risk of fire (category 4) for Attica, the Peloponnese, Crete, the North and South Aegean Regions, and Central Greece. Another fire started about 20 kilometers northwest of Athens in the area of Lakka Katsari on Saturday afternoon, while authorities successfully controlled a fire in the southeastern town of Keratea, which had led to the evacuation of two villages. Last year, a fierce two-week heatwave was followed by devastating wildfires in which 20 people died. The flames consumed nearly 175,000 hectares (432,000 acres) of forest and farmland, according to the National Observatory of Athens. With inputs from AFP.
