Greek firefighters said a forest fire, fanned by strong winds, broke out on Monday (July 17) in Kouvaras, 50 kilometers east of Athens, as authorities ordered evacuation of several coastal areas as a precaution.
“It’s a hard fire, and the wind is very strong, up to 7 Beauforts (50 to 60 km/h)”While Greece has been experiencing a wave of heat waves since Thursday with a peak of over 44 degrees Celsius in the center of the country, Yannis Artopios, a spokesman for the firefighters, said.
sequel after announcement
What do “giant fires” say about us
“It is one of the worst weather conditions for a fire. The fire moving southeast has reached the top of Mount Banyos.”Thodoris Giannaros, a meteorologist and expert at the National Observatory of Athens, notes in an interview with I Kathimerini. According to him, the winds are expected to weaken after eight o’clock on Monday evening. However, because the moisture is low in forest fuels, the fire must still be intense.
Local media reported that seven water bombers, four helicopters and 150 firefighters, including a team of 30 Romanian firefighters, were fighting the two fronts of this fire.
Burnt houses in Lagonissi
Soon the fire, which destroyed the wood, spread to the south of the region of Attica, near the coastal areas of Lagonissi, Anavisos and Saronida where there are many secondary homes.
Traffic came to a halt on nearby roads in California, which were engulfed in thick smoke. The authorities told the residents to leave as a precaution while the monastery was being evacuated.
The Greek News Agency reported that a fire broke out near the Isthmus of Corinth in a forested area close to the popular seaside resort of Loutraki.
sequel after announcement
Evacuation orders were also issued there as a precautionary measure, according to the same source.
According to firefighters quoting the Afghan National Army, ground and air forces have already been mobilized as strong winds are blowing in the area.
The mayor of Saronicos spoke about the houses burned in Lagonissi, without being able to say the exact number: People should leave Saronida and Lagonissi […] The fire is constantly moving dangerously and is now over Saronida. People should leave these two areas immediately, with caution and calmness.” He told the Anna Kathimerini newspaper.
In Greece, very hot temperatures
Like part of Europe, this weekend Greece experienced its first heat wave this year, with a peak of 44.2 degrees Celsius in Thebes (center), according to the National Observatory of Athens.
sequel after announcement
In Athens, the mercury rose to 39 degrees Celsius on Saturday and the symbolic site of the Acropolis, the most visited in the country, remained closed during the hottest hours of the day, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
On Sunday evening, the thermometer began to drop slightly and the Climate Crisis Ministry warned of a rise in temperature “Rising Danger” Fires due to strong winds, between 50 and 60 km / h.
While temperatures are expected to drop 2 to 4 degrees Celsius by Wednesday, a new heat wave is expected from Thursday with projected highs of 43 degrees Celsius locally, according to the national weather service EMY.
“We are in the midst of a firefighting period and the forecast conditions will be particularly challenging to lead to wildfires.”Yannis Artobius warned.
