GPS News
FIRE STORM
Greek firefighters calm deadly Athens inferno
Greek firefighters calm deadly Athens inferno
By Anna Maria JAKUBEK with John HADOULIS in Athens
Penteli, Greece (AFP) Aug 13, 2024

Greek emergency services fought back Tuesday against a massive wildfire that scorched the Athens suburbs, killing a woman, causing widespread damage and sending thousands of people fleeing from their homes.

A fire department spokesperson told AFP that "pockets of flame" were being dealt with but there were no longer "areas of particular concern".

Hundreds of firefighters, backed by around 200 fire engines and 20 water-bombing aircraft battled the blaze that started Sunday in Varnavas, some 35 kilometres (22 miles) from Athens.

The body of a Moldovan woman was found in a burned-out factory and at least 66 people have been treated for injuries, authorities said. Five firefighters have been hurt.

Fuelled by strong winds, the wildfire raced across parched landscape northeast of the capital, destroying dozens of houses, cars and businesses in the over 10,000 hectares (24,700 acres) of land it has devastated.

After a Greek appeal for international assistance, France, Italy, Czech Republic, Romania, Serbia and Turkey were sending hundreds of firefighters along with helicopters, fire engines and water tankers, authorities said.

- 'Everything was burned' -

The fire scaled Mount Pentelikon overlooking Athens and badly hit the suburbs of Nea Penteli, Palaia Penteli, Patima Halandriou and Vrilissia.

Sports halls including the Athens Olympic Stadium were set aside to shelter the homeless. One former Olympic hall was earmarked for more than 150 rescued pets.

"We saw huge flames, and at the same time (explosions) began. We thought we were at war," Nikos Karoulias, a 71-year-old former defender for Greece's national football team, told AFP in Penteli.

The body of a Moldovan worker in her 60s was found in a factory in the suburb of Halandri. A bouquet of white flowers was laid in tribute in the mess of burned-out steel and scorched chairs and tables.

Halandri mayor Simos Roussos told ERT state television that he saw nearly a dozen homes destroyed by fire in his town. Businesses, used car and coal yards and paint warehouses were also affected, he said.

"The fire travelled 50 kilometres and changed direction 10 times," Roussos said.

The mayors of Penteli and Varnavas each reported a dozen homes destroyed in their areas.

The labour ministry banned outdoor working in areas hit by the fires because so many factories that burned on Monday contained toxic chemicals.

With much of the capital covered by acrid smoke for two straight days, scientists reported an alarming rise in hazardous airborne particles, particularly from Sunday night to Monday night.

"Never in a million years did I think a fire would come here," 65-year-old Sakis Morfis told AFP outside his gutted home in Vrilissia.

"We're without clothes, money, everything was burned inside," he said.

Costas Tsigkas, head of the association of Greek firefighter officers, told ERT the army of firefighters was on alert in case winds pick up again.

Greece's National Observatory, itself threatened by the wildfire, predicted temperatures of up to 38 degrees Celsius (100 Fahrenheit) on Tuesday, with wind gusts of up to 70 kilometres (44 miles) per hour.

- 'Unanswered questions' -

Greece's conservative government came under attack from the press, public and political rivals over the fire.

On Tuesday evening, around 200 people demonstrated outside parliament, with one sign reading: "They burned us! Government, ministers, you are responsible for this crime."

"Enough is enough," thundered the front page of Greece's top-selling centrist daily Ta Nea. The liberal Kathimerini said the "out of control" inferno "had left huge destruction (and) unanswered questions".

"Evacuate Maximou," said the left-wing Efsyn newspaper, referring to the building housing the prime minister's office.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis returned early from holiday on Sunday because of the crisis.

"Every year we are doing our best to improve, but unfortunately conditions are becoming more difficult," Mitsotakis said after an emergency cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

The destruction revived memories of fires in Mati, a coastal area near Marathon, in July 2018 when 104 people died in a tragedy blamed on evacuation delays and errors.

The summer wildfire season in Greece this year has seen dozens of blazes after the Mediterranean country recorded its warmest winter and the hottest June and July since reliable data collection began in 1960.

Scientists say that human-induced fossil fuel emissions are worsening the length, frequency and intensity of heatwaves across the world.

Related Links
Forest and Wild Fires - News, Science and Technology

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
FIRE STORM
Greece battles deadly wildfire for third day as EU firefighters arrive
Athens (AFP) Aug 13, 2024
Greek emergency services battled a massive wildfire threatening Athens for a third day Tuesday after finding the first victim and thousands of people were kept away from their homes by the flames. The body of a Moldovan woman was found in a burned out factory and at least 66 people have been treated for injuries since the fire broke out Sunday, authorities said. Five firefighters have been hurt. Fuelled by strong winds, the wildfire raced across parched landscape northeast of the capital, destro ... read more

FIRE STORM
'Five years of fire': Romanian farms wilt in drought

Global Agricultural Expansion Poses Significant Risks to Climate and Biodiversity

Enhanced Satellite Fusion Method Elevates Precision Agriculture

Farmers and Researchers Collaborate to Enhance Crop Testing Techniques

FIRE STORM
URI-led research proposes new approach to scale quantum processors

Advances in Atomic-Level Photoswitching for Nanoscale Optoelectronics

HKUST Engineers Develop Full-Color Fiber LEDs for Advanced Wearable Displays

New Milestone in Secure Communication Achieved Using Artificial Atoms

FIRE STORM
AFWERX, MTSI evaluate electric VTOL aircraft for military applications

Climate activists halt traffic at two German airports

Whisper Aero Partners with ORNL's Summit Supercomputer to Advance Quiet Electric Aircraft Development

Pilot error, lax safety blamed in US Osprey crash off Australia

FIRE STORM
China launches appeal at WTO over EU electric vehicle tariffs

EV transition worries French car industry workers

Volkswagen profit dips on slowing Chinese demand

BMW profits slip on weaker China sales

FIRE STORM
Asian markets extend gains as US inflation data boost rate hopes

Global stocks follow Wall Street climb

China's underwhelming data dampens hope of economic recovery

Honduran president meets Chinese official with trade deal on horizon

FIRE STORM
Mature Forests Crucial in Combating Climate Change, New Study Shows

Rewilding Could Restore 25 Percent of Europe's Landscape

Coastal Surf Zones Identified as Key Climate Stabilizers and Biodiversity Hotspots

New Monitoring Tool Reveals Declining Forest Health Across Germany

FIRE STORM
Latin America utilizes satellite data and AI for governmental and environmental watch

New Interactive TEMPO Data Story Offers Public Access to Air Quality Information

Planet to Launch Tanager-1 Hyperspectral Satellite and 36 SuperDoves with SpaceX

NASA C-20A Completes 150 Hours of Earth Science Flights

FIRE STORM
Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.