Wildfire conditions in Greece showed signs of improving on Tuesday, but hundreds of firefighters remained on high alert as persistent flare-ups continued northwest of Athens.
The rugged terrain, marked by steep hills and deep canyons, continued to hinder efforts to fully contain the blaze, which has destroyed homes and burned through forests, farmland and olive groves.
Fire crews, supported by water-bombing aircraft and additional personnel from Romania and France, were battling the flames on three separate fronts west of Athens in the Gulf of Corinth. The wildfire has been burning since Friday.
Authorities said; “their efforts were complicated by strong, dry meltemi winds blowing from the Aegean Sea, which at times prevented water-bombing aircraft from operating.”
“We are talking about a fire where we didn’t have an aircraft at our disposal for 30 continuous hours, which caused us a lot of difficulties,”Deputy Fire Brigade Spokesperson, Ioannis Artopoios said.
In the coastal town of Porto Germeno, about 60 kilometres northwest of Athens, 45-year-old Vivi Gialia returned to find her parents’ home reduced to ruins alongside the fire-scorched landscape where she spent her childhood summers.
“It’s as if my heart has been torn out,” she told reporters.
READ ALSO: Europe Battles Fresh Wildfires Amid Extreme Heat
Europe has endured a devastating wildfire season following record-breaking heatwaves and prolonged dry conditions. Many scientists say these extreme weather patterns have been intensified by human-induced climate change.
France and Spain were among the countries hardest hit, although the major fires there subsided over the weekend, offering temporary relief. Greece, despite being one of Europe’s most fire-prone nations, had experienced a comparatively mild summer before the recent outbreak.
Tragedy also struck on Sunday when two crew members aboard a firefighting helicopter died near the coastal community of Psatha, about 40 kilometres from Athens, after the aircraft made mid-air contact with another helicopter.
The second helicopter’s two crew members survived. Greek authorities said the crash, involving U.S.-registered Bell helicopters, is being investigated by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration.
Back in Porto Germeno, small roadside religious shrines—common features in many Greek communities—remained standing amid widespread destruction. At one burned-out home, a woman carefully swept away shattered roof tiles from a darkened room while the steel front door, blackened by the flames, stood as a reminder of the devastation.
“It was a beautiful place, we spent our summers here. We have spent happy times here, and there is nothing anymore,” Gialia said, criticising what she said was a slow response by firefighters.
Reuters
