More than 400 firefighters, supported by 16 waterbombing planes and 13 helicopters, battled a rapidly spreading wildfire that broke out at 3 pm (midday GMT) near the village of Varnavas, approximately 35 km (20 miles) north of Athens. The blaze, fueled by gale-force winds and scorching temperatures, quickly escalated, engulfing trees, houses, and cars while sending dense smoke clouds over the Greek capital.
As night descended, the firefighting aircraft were grounded, leaving the ground crews to continue the fight against the advancing flames, which turned the sky a fiery orange. The fire brigade spokesperson, Vassilis Vathrakogiannis, described the situation as perilous, noting that the fire spread "like lightning" due to the intense winds. Flames reaching up to 25 meters in height rapidly consumed the surrounding shrubland, making it challenging for firefighters to contain the blaze.
Varnavas, a sparsely populated area with around 1,800 residents, was encircled by the fire in a matter of minutes. "The village was surrounded in no time," resident Katerina Fylaktou told Reuters, emphasizing the speed at which the fire spread due to the strong winds. The sudden and fierce nature of the blaze forced many residents to flee their homes as authorities issued evacuation alerts for nine areas in the vicinity.
The wildfire near Athens is one of hundreds that have erupted across Greece since May, a trend that scientists attribute to the increasingly hot and dry weather conditions associated with climate change. Following Greece's warmest winter on record, the country experienced its hottest June and July, with the upcoming summer forecasted to be the hottest ever. Kostas Lagouvardos, research director of the Athens Observatory, warned that if the Varnavas fire is not contained during the night, the situation could worsen significantly the next day.
The wildfires in Greece are part of a broader pattern of extreme heat and fires affecting other parts of Europe, including Spain and the Balkans, this summer. The dangerous weather conditions have placed several regions across Greece on high alert for fire risk, particularly over the weekend and into Monday.
In response to the escalating fire threat, Greece's Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister, Vassilis Kikilias, called for emergency measures involving the army, police, and volunteers to combat forest fires until August 15. He warned that "extremely high temperatures and dangerous weather conditions will prevail," with half of Greece under "red" alert due to the heightened risk of wildfires.
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