18 Burnt Bodies of Migrants Found in Greece Wildfires
ALEXANDROUPOLIS, Greece (AP) — Firefighters in northeastern Greece have discovered the burnt bodies of 18 people believed to be migrants who crossed the Turkish border into the wildfire-ravaged area. The grim discovery near the city of Alexandroupolis came as firefighters continued to battle dozens of wildfires across the country amidst strong winds.
Southern European countries, with their hot and dry summers, are particularly prone to wildfires. In Spain’s Canary Islands, a major blaze has been burning for a week, although no injuries or damage to homes have been reported.
European Union officials have linked the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires in Europe to climate change. 2022 was the second-worst year for wildfire damage on record after 2017.
In Greece, the police have activated the country’s Disaster Victim Identification Team to identify the 18 bodies found near a shack in the Avantas area. Fire department spokesman Ioannis Artopios said that since there have been no reports of missing persons or residents from the surrounding areas, it is being investigated whether these are people who entered the country illegally.
Alexandroupolis is near the border with Turkey, a popular route for people fleeing poverty and conflict in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa, seeking entry into the European Union.
Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou expressed sadness at the deaths and called for urgent initiatives to prevent wildfires from becoming the new normality. Evacuation orders had been issued for Avantas and many nearby villages and settlements, with push alerts sent to all mobile phones in the region.
Authorities are investigating the causes of the wildfires, with recent arrests and fines for accidental fire starters. However, the discovery of the 18 bodies has sparked accusations against migrants for starting the fires.
Late Monday, the police detained three men in Alexandroupolis suspected of kidnapping and illegally holding 13 migrants. The suspects were seen on social media shutting a group of migrants in a trailer and accusing them of intending to burn them. The government condemned vigilante acts.
The wildfires in Greece have prompted the evacuation of eight more villages and a hospital in Alexandroupolis. The coast guard conducted sea evacuations from nearby beaches, and satellite imagery showed smoke blanketing much of northern and western Greece.
New fires continue to break out across the country, including in woodland northwest of Athens and an industrial area on the capital’s western fringes. With firefighting forces stretched to the limit, Greece has sought assistance from the European Union’s civil protection mechanism.
Spain is also battling wildfires, with Tenerife in the Canary Islands experiencing the worst fire in decades. Large parts of Spain are under wildfire alert as temperatures soar.
Authorities in Italy and Turkey have also been dealing with wildfires, with evacuations being carried out in affected areas.
The current wildfires across Europe have surpassed the average number of fires recorded annually from 2006-2022. The destruction caused by these fires has removed wooded areas capable of absorbing 2.5 million tons of carbon dioxide per year.
The situation emphasizes the urgency of addressing climate change and its impact on increasing fire risks worldwide.
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