Fire recedes around Athens, but firefighters remain mobilized

The situation is improving around Athens. “The fire is no longer as intense as it was in recent days, but there are still a few outbreaks that could cause the fires to start again.”a spokesman for the firefighters, who remain mobilized on Wednesday, August 14, in the fight against a forest fire, explained to AFP. Since Sunday, the flames have ravaged the suburbs of Athens, killing a woman, causing significant damage and displacing thousands of people.

“Around 530 firefighters remain mobilized on the ground with 145 vehicles and we have received help from our European colleagues but they have not yet been deployed on the ground in Attica”he added. Nearly 300 firefighters, as well as other helicopters, fire engines and tankers, were sent to Greece from six countries (France, Italy, Czech Republic, Romania, Serbia, Turkey), after Greece activated the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism.

Fueled by strong winds, Greece’s worst forest fire of the year has spread since Sunday across parched territory and has ravaged 10,000 hectares, destroying countless buildings and vehicles. According to the website meteo.gr, 37% of Attica’s forests have burned in the last eight years. The fire started Sunday afternoon near the historic town of Marathon, 40 km northeast of Athens, which has more than 7,000 inhabitants and which had to be evacuated.