On Friday, police went door to door urging people to leave their homes north of Athens while emergency crews struggled to stop wildfires from spreading to more towns as scorching winds fuelled blazes across Greece for the fourth day.
Greece, like the rest of Europe, has been grappling with the extreme weather – worst in 30 years – as a week-long heatwave has sparked simultaneous wildfires in many parts of the country, burning homes and killing animals as flames tear through thousands of acres of land.
Head of Greece’s firefighters federation, Dimitris Stathopoulus stated, “The fire in Attica is dangerous. It is unpredictable.” At least 56 active fronts burned across the country on Friday, from Peloponnese in the west to the island of Elvia near Athens, where hundreds of people had to be evacuated by boat as flames burned through forestland to shore
Thousands of people have already fled their homes since the wildfires on the foothill of Mount Parnitha just north of Athens burst back into life late on Thursday and authorities ordered the evacuation of several suburbs. Yorgos, 26, who had to leave his home in the suburb Polydenri told, “We might to spend the night in the car if we do not find a friend to host us.”
The fire broke out on Tuesday, burning around the main highway linking Athens to northern Greece. Since hundreds of firefighters with water-bombing aircraft battled to contain it. Deputy Civil Protection Minister Nikos Hardalias stated, “Conditions are extremely dangerous.”
