Greece will send an additional 171 firefighters on Monday to bolster the battle against wildfires that have engulfed parts of the island of Chios for a second straight day, as powerful winds intensify the crisis and force evacuations.
“The situation remains critical as firefighting forces are still dealing with many active fronts, several of which are near residential areas,” said government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis during a press briefing.
Currently, around 190 firefighters and 11 aircraft are working to contain the flames, with reinforcements en route. Authorities are especially concerned about protecting homes and the island’s prized mastiha-producing regions—Chios being the only place in the world where the valuable resin from mastic trees is harvested.
The fast-moving blaze, fanned by gusty winds, has destroyed forest and pastureland and caused power outages, pushing the fire north, west, and south of the island’s capital. Hundreds of residents have been evacuated as precautionary measures.
Chios, located in the northeastern Aegean Sea, is the latest region to suffer amid a growing pattern of devastating wildfires across Greece, an issue experts attribute to climate change. The country, situated at Europe’s southern edge, has increasingly borne the brunt of extreme weather conditions.
In response, Greece has invested heavily in modernising its emergency services and has recruited a record 18,000 firefighters this year in anticipation of what is expected to be an intense fire season.
reuters/s.s