Greece wildfires: New blazes break out on Evia Island, authorities order evacuation

Greece, which is already struggling to douse the flames the broke out in summer, has again landed into trouble after two new blazes broke out in the south of Evia and Athens. Greece’s fire department has already scrambled firefighting aircraft and ground forces in the area to deal with the recent wildfire. According to the fire officials, the fire first broke out in the early Monday morning in the south of Evia, Greece’s second-largest island. At the same time, the second fire was ignited near the Vilia area that lies northwest of Athens. The official said that the strong winds further complicate the firefighters who are working tirelessly to contain them. Earlier this month, Evia's north side was decimated by a blaze that burned for more than ten days, added the official. Recently, the Vilia's northwest area was brought under control on Friday after burning for five days.

Firefighting capabilities stretched to the limit: Officials

Meanwhile, authorities order to evacuate the area as several people got injured while dousing their gardens and homes, hoping to save them. Local police also halted the traffic for almost two hours to prevent any misfortune. “A new major battle has begun,” regional governor Giorgos Patoulis told Open TV. The country’s firefighting capabilities, which have been already stretched to the limit, appealed for international help. According to the fire department, one firefighter died while four others are shifted to the hospital. It is worth noting that the massive wildfire has destroyed around 60 kilometres; the officials are yet to establish the reason for the extensive destruction. Police arrested more than a dozen people on suspicion of arson, including a 14-year-old boy. On August 20, Friday, Michalis Chrisochoidis, Citizens Protection Minister, said a special prosecutor for organized crime cases was involved in the investigation.

Intense heat and wildfires struck other Mediterranean countries

According to a report by the Associated Press, recent wildfires have killed at least 75 people in Algeria and 16 in Turkey, while in southern France, 1,200 firefighters have been struggling to contain a major blaze. With Russia's Siberia region grappling with the massive wildfire that engulfed several villages in the last one month, NASA's Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), on August 7, shared a picture that showed the flames has now reached the North Pole. The payload imaging sensor launched into Earth orbit by NASA in 1999 revealed that the smoke had travelled more than 3,000 km from Yakutia to reach the North Pole, a feat that appears to be a first in recorded history. 

(With inputs from AP)

Image Credit: AP