2024-08-14 11:11:18
There is no longer an active front, only scattered outbreaks, but the Greek firefighters are mobilized on Wednesday August 14 in the fight against the forest fire that has destroyed the neighborhoods of Athens since Sunday, killing a woman, who caused massive damage and led to the displacement of thousands of people.
“The fire does not have the intensity of recent days, but there are still some outbreaks which could lead to the renewal of the fires”explained the spokesman for the firefighters. “Around 530 firefighters are gathered on the ground with 145 vehicles and we have received help from our European colleagues but they have not been deployed on the ground in Attica”he added.
Reinforcement on site
About 300 firefighters, as well as other planes, fire engines and boats, were sent to Greece from six countries (France, Italy, Czech Republic, Romania, Serbia, Turkey), in especially after the activation by Greece of the European Union’s civil protection mechanism. .
Fanned by violent winds, Greece’s worst wildfire of the year has been raging since Sunday across arid regions and has destroyed 10,000 hectares, destroying homes and cars. in value. About a hundred buildings suffered major damage according to the city’s defense.
According to the meteo.gr website, 37% of Attica’s forests have burned in the last eight years.
The fire started on Sunday afternoon near the historic city of Marathon, 40 km northeast of Athens, which has more than 7,000 inhabitants and which had to be evacuated. Dozens of evacuation orders were sent to local residents. Several stadiums were opened to accommodate the displaced.
On Tuesday morning, the body of a Moldovan woman in her 60s was found at her workplace in a dairy farm in Halandri, near Athens, according to authorities.
Defective light pole
Investigators have combed the area where the fire started in the town of Varnavas and, according to the center-right newspaper Kathimerini, the trail seems to lead to a faulty electricity pole.
In terms of financial aid, 4.7 million euros are planned for the eight regions involved.
Families affected by the fire will receive €600 to cover their basic needs, €6,000 to repair or replace their household appliances. Finally, €4,500 is provided to people who suffer a disability after an injury during a natural disaster.
A monthly allowance of €300 to €500 is also provided to people who have been forced to leave their homes and need to temporarily rehouse.
But anger rises in the country almost every summer due to wildfires and unpreparedness.
“A lot of things need to change”
After an emergency cabinet meeting on Tuesday evening, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said: “We are doing our best to improve every year, but unfortunately the conditions are getting more difficult”.
“Without personnel, with a lack of equipment, and a completely ineffective coordination, this is the Civil Defense of which Mr. Mitsotakis is proud, unlike all citizens who love their homeland”replied the leader of the left opposition Syriza, Stefanos Kasselakis.
The president of the Socialist Party, Nikos Androulakis, also thinks so “Many things must change immediately in the urban security and forest protection systems, with a greater role of forestry work and the use of firefighters during the prevention period especially in winters”.
Visiting the military base on Wednesday where the fire fighter jets are stationed, the Prime Minister thanked the pilots for their dedication and “Great job done” these last few days.
Government “crime”
“We have done what we can to get new planes as quickly as possible”noted Kyriakos Mistotakis, who recalled that he had ordered seven new Canadairs but which would not be delivered until 2027. “The solution will not just come out of thin air, serious work is needed in prevention”he also accepted this.
On Tuesday evening in front of Parliament, around 200 people showed up to protest “crime” of the government.
The risk of fires remains very high for Thursday, especially in northern Greece, firefighters have warned.
Greece is especially vulnerable to forest fires after a very dry winter. The months of July and August were the warmest since statistics began being collected in the 1960s.
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