Athens suburb residents told to evacuate as wildfires in Greece spread

Greek official says ‘real difficulties’ ahead as dry conditions and high temperatures are expected to persist.

A wildfire has burned through a northern suburb of the Greek capital of Athens, leading to the evacuation of some residents, the country’s Fire Service has reported.

Residents of the town of Kryoneri, 20km (12.5 miles) northeast of Athens, received three text messages on Saturday to leave for safe areas, Fire Service spokesman Vassilis Vathrakoyannis told reporters.

“There have been reports of damage. We will take stock when the fires have been put out,”  the spokesperson said.

Greek media outlets showed houses on fire.

“The real difficulties are ahead of us,” Vathrakoyannis said, adding that Greece has asked for six firefighting planes from the European Union’s Civil Protection Mechanism.

On site, 145 firefighters and 44 fire engines, 10 firefighting planes and seven helicopters are attempting to put out the fire, whose origin is unknown. Four ambulances are treating at least five residents, most of them elderly with respiratory problems.

Temperatures reaching, or exceeding, 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit), dry conditions and high winds are fanning the flames.

Under such conditions, which are expected to persist in the coming days, wildfires “expand very quickly and become dangerous”, Vathrakoyannis said.

The fire service is also dealing with three other major fires in the southwest of Greece’s two largest islands — Crete in the south and Evia north of Athens — as well as on the island of Kythera, northwest of Crete.

At least 335 firefighters, 19 planes and 13 helicopters are involved, but can only operate in daylight. In total, 52 wildfires broke out across the country over the past 24 hours, the spokesperson said.

Wildfires, many of them very destructive, have become a common occurrence in Greece in recent years. Several have broken out in the past month.

Heatwaves and dry conditions, which scientists link to climate change, have become more frequent across the world in recent years.

Last month, temperatures reached as high as 42 degrees Celsius (107 degrees Fahrenheit) during a heatwave in southern Europe.

“With climate change leading to warmer temperatures and drier conditions and the increasing urbanization of rural areas, the fire season is starting earlier and ending later,” the World Health Organisation (WHO) says.

“Wildfire events are getting more extreme in terms of acres burned, duration and intensity, and they can disrupt transportation, communications, water supply, and power and gas services. “

Source:

Al Jazeera and news agencies