A wildfire broke out on Mount Parnitha near Athens on Saturday afternoon, as authorities warned of the very high risk of similar fires breaking out in six regions across Greece. Reinforcements are being sent from several other parts of Greece to help control the blaze around the capital, fire service spokesman Vasilis Vathrakogiannis told reporters. “Overall, the prevailing conditions are difficult and dangerous,” he said.
12 helicopters are in operation
In addition to the wind speed, which has sometimes exceeded 100 km/h, the density of high-voltage electricity pylons also hinders the intervention of firefighting aircraft, only four in number. So, for the moment, there are mainly twelve helicopters in intervention, added Vasilis Vathrakogiannis. The spokesman also praised the contribution of the many volunteer firefighters present on site as well as the water tankers provided by the Attica region – where Athens is located – and the army general staff.
For the moment, the winds do not seem to be blowing towards residential areas, spreading the flames towards an area of Mount Parnitha that has been burned during previous fires. Saturday’s fire started in the Katsimidi forest area. However, the strong gusts have sent the smoke towards the centre of the Greek capital where a smell of burning wood is noticeable. According to the forecast for Sunday by the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, a very high fire risk (category 4) is faced by the region of Attica, the southern Peloponnese peninsula, the island of Crete, the northern and southern parts of the Aegean Sea and central Greece.
Another forest fire broke out on Saturday afternoon in Aspropyrgos, a municipality in western Attica, while an evacuation message was sent to nearby residents. Previously, a fire in the town of Keratea, in eastern Attica, was brought under control thanks to the massive mobilization of authorities who called for the evacuation of two villages. Across Greece, a total of forty forest fires have broken out since dawn, firefighters announced.
Accustomed to the scorching heat of summer, Greece has been bracing for weeks for a particularly difficult season in terms of fires. After the hottest winter on record, the country experienced its first heatwave last week, with temperatures exceeding 44°C in some areas. In 2023, a two-week heatwave was followed by devastating forest fires that killed 20 people.