The Greece wildfires by strong gale-force winds have been spreading towards the edge of Athens. The situation has become dire with thousands of residents being ordered to evacuate their homes. The fires broke out on Sunday afternoon and despite the efforts of around 670 firefighters, the flames continue to rage uncontrollably.
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The fire broke out on Sunday afternoon near Varnavas and spread across the region by strong winds and drought conditions.
Over 685 firefighters, supported by 32 water-bombing aerial units were immediately deployed to battle the wildfire.
Authorities ordered the evacuation of eight villages on Sunday and expanded the evacuation orders on Monday to include at least five additional communities, two hospitals, several monasteries and a children’s home.
The blaze was described as extremely dangerous by Vassilis Kikilias, Greece’s Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, showed no signs of abating with over 40 flare-ups recorded on Monday morning alone.
The fire has already scorched more than 30 kilometers (about 19 miles) of land, with flames reaching heights of over 80 feet.
As the fire advanced towards Penteli, located about 16 kilometers (10 miles) northeast of Athens, plumes of smoke became visible from the Parthenon.
The fire’s proximity to the densely populated Athens metropolitan area, home to around 3 million residents.
The Greek government appealed to the European Union for assistance. In response, France, Italy, the Czech Republic and Romania dispatched firefighters and equipment to help combat the wildfire.
So far there have been no reported fatalities, but several individuals including citizens and firefighters, have sustained burn and respiratory injuries.
Thirteen civilians and two firefighters were treated for their injuries and three hospitals in the Attica region were placed on alert.
The air quality in Athens has deteriorated with the smell of burning becoming pervasive throughout the city. The intense heat combined with thick smoke, has turned the skies dark, creating an eerie and dangerous environment.
Reports from residents and visitors describe the scene as apocalyptic with the sky resembling a sunset, yet no smell of smoke at first.
The situation quickly deteriorated with emergency alerts being sent out to residents. Power outages have become an issue with at least 120 power poles damaged, affecting thousands of residents.
The fire has also caused damage to infrastructure including a children’s hospital and a military medical facility, which were evacuated as a precaution.
Despite the deployment of over 700 firefighters and the use of 119 vehicles, the firefighting efforts have been hampered by the challenging conditions.
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Strong winds have caused continuous flare-ups in over 40 different areas, making it difficult to contain the fires.
The firefighting teams have faced additional challenges due to the pine cones launched by burning pine trees, which have ignited houses far from the main fire front.
Aircraft support has been crucial in the efforts to control the fires with 17 aircraft and 18 helicopters including three for coordination, being deployed.
Several countries including Spain, Italy, Turkey, Romania, and Canada have responded to this call for help.
France has provided a Super Puma utility helicopter, while the Czech Republic has sent 75 firefighters and 25 vehicles to support the firefighting efforts.
As the fires approach residential areas, mass evacuations have been ordered. In some areas such as Varnavas, houses have already caught fire.
The health impacts of the wildfires have been huge with at least 31 people treated for breathing problems due to the thick smoke engulfing the city.
One firefighter has suffered minor burns and two fire trucks have been destroyed by the flames.
The fire has affected approximately 100,000 acres of land in north-eastern Attica with damage to the region’s natural vegetation.
The flames have also threatened facilities such as the National Observatory of Athens in Penteli, which remains at risk as the fire continues to spread.
This summer Greece experienced its hottest June and July on record with three of the four warmest July temperatures in the last 80 years occurring in the past four years.
The current wildfire has fears of a repeat of last summer’s devastating fires, which ravaged several regions and islands in Greece including its heavily forested national park known as the lungs of Athens.
Tourism to Greece has surged in recent years with over 3.05 million people visiting the country in May 2024 alone.
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