The high temperatures and strong winds expected in several areas of Greece today mean there is a high risk of fire across the country on Wednesday More than 40,000 hectares have been on fire since Saturday And 28 people have diedincluding 27 who are believed to be and were irregular immigrants charred in a forest near the border of Türkiye.
So far it could be this year Across the country, 100,000 hectares have already burned downnails 43,000 between Saturday and yesterday Tuesdaywhat e should beThe most devastating summer in 15 yearsaccording to experts.
“Greece has already lived with differences the worst month of July since 2008 in terms of wildfires. The burned surface is larger and the Fires are more intense and violent more area was destroyed than before,” the EU Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarcic, recalled yesterday.
The fire brigade issued a warning about this this morning Major fires are still raging in 18 regions of the countrydue to strong winds and temperatures that could reach Partly 43 degrees. Giannis Artopioos, spokesman for the fire brigade, stated that “the situation is unprecedented” and pointed out that an accident took place between Saturday and Tuesday 300 fires were reported across the country.
Deceased
In these four days, 28 people have died in Greece, including 18 irregular migrants died charred in a forest in the Evros region, near the border with Türkiye. Authorities have not confirmed the identities of nine other people found dead in the area, who are also believed to be migrants who would have traveled from Turkey. To one died as a rancher trying to save his animals.
All of the deceased were male, including two children. According to Pavlos Pavlidi, the coroner who examined the bodies, he told Greek agency APE-MPA. “They all went andfound in groups of two or three at a distance of five hundred yardsapparently during they tried to escape“, said the medical expert.
The Immigration Minister, the Conservative Dimitris Kairides, confirmed that the first group of 18 deaths were immigrants and assured that this tragedy “confirms the dangers of irregular immigration”. Kairides did not comment on the eight bodies found together in the Dadia area, nor on another body found this morning who are also believed to be irregular migrants who would have entered Greece from Turkey .
The NGO Alarm Phone, which takes alarm calls from migrants at risk in the Mediterranean, warned on the social network X (formerly Twitter) that hhad received a call for help from 250 migrants trapped on islands in the Evros Rivernatural border between Türkiye and Greece.
arrested
Four people were arrestedyesterday accused of causing firesbe it intentionally or negligently. Three people were arrested yesterday in the Evros area is accused of locking a group of 25 refugees and migrants in a trailerwhom they contemptuously referred to as “pieces” and accused of causing the fires.
extent of the fires
The National Observatory of Athens has warned that high concentrations of microparticles were recorded as early as 10,000 p.m Hundreds of kilometers from the fire fronts. For example the smoke coming through the iEvros fire, the most devastating It extended up to 950 kilometers southwest of the focus from current projects. covers about 110,000 square kilometers, 80% of the country’s area.
The smoke created by the fire in the town of Fily has quite a bit to offer Fifteen kilometers from Athens, it covers a large part of the citywhere the smell of burning has spread to part of the capital, according to the Skai Channel.
Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis said this to radio station ERT Today alone 63 fires were reported, 14 of them in Evros. According to initial estimates by the National Meteorological Observatory of Athens, the Evros area is one of the areas most affected by this new fire wave. In Evros alone, 38,000 hectares have already burned.
One of the most serious fires is the one that broke out near the Greek port city on Saturday Alexandroupoliswhere it had to be today Evacuate the city’s main hospital. In the city of You know32 kilometers from Alexandroupoli, the evacuation of the ammunition depots for armored vehicles threatened by fire has begun.
AIDS
firefighters fight very adverse conditions due to strong winds, a total of 14 large fire fronts, according to the Kathimerini newspaper. “The situation is particularly difficult. If you don’t Reinforce equipment (fire control) and air resources They don’t arrive very quickly The fire will reach the squares of the citiesCentral Greece Deputy Regional Governor Ilias Sanidas warned in statements to the media.
The European Union announced this Five fire-fighting aircraft stationed in Croatia, Germany and Sweden are already on their way to take part in the fire-fighting workas well as helicopters, firefighters and tankers They are mobilized from the Czech Republic. These teams organized by the EU Civil Protection Mechanism They will join planes and equipment sent from Cyprus and Romania on Monday.
