Greece Battles New Wildfire Fanned by Strong Winds
A new wildfire broke out in Greece yesterday morning southeast of the capital Athens, fanned by strong winds of more than 70 kilometers per hour, firefighters said.
At least 172 firefighters and around 40 vehicles have been deployed to fight the blaze in Kouvaras, 60 km southeast of Athens, in the Attica region, the fire service announced on X.
“Two water-bombing aircraft and four helicopters” are also taking part, the service added.
Agios Stylianos, a village near Kouvaras, has been ordered to evacuate by civil protection authorities.
It marks the second fire near Athens this summer, after one that broke out 10 days ago northwest of the Greek capital and destroyed more than 11,000 hectares of pine forests and farmland.
Because of gusts reaching up to 130 km/h, it took five days to bring the fire under control.
Two helicopter crew members died in a collision with another helicopter while battling the flames.
Like much of the Mediterranean, Greece has experienced increasingly frequent and intense wildfires that scientists link to climate change.
The country remains on extreme alert and several regions are still classified at a very high fire risk.
Experts have warned about the increased severity of the fires affecting Attica, where Athens is located.
From 2017 to 2026, 42 percent of the total forest area in the region burned because of 15 major fires.
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