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ATHENS, Greece (AP) — A massive wildfire raged out of control on the northern outskirts of Athens on Monday, prompting emergency evacuations in several areas as strong winds hampered the efforts of hundreds of firefighters and dozens of water-dropping aircraft to put out the blaze.
Faced with massive, fast-moving fires that sometimes reached heights of 25 meters (80 feet), Greece sought assistance from other countries and received promises, activating Europe’s mutual civil protection mechanism.
The fire, which began on Sunday afternoon, destroyed several homes and caused smoke and ash to cover central Athens, with the air filled with a burning smell. Power was cut in parts of the capital and traffic lights at major intersections in the city center were also affected.
The fire spread and caused damage in the suburbs of Athens, about 15 kilometers (9 miles) from the city center. There were no reports of residents being trapped, and authorities said a total of 15 people were injured in the fire area, most of them from smoke inhalation.
French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said France would send a helicopter, 180 civil security personnel and 55 fire engines. Greece’s civil protection agency said Italy would send two sprinklers and the Czech Republic would send 75 firefighters and 25 fire engines. Spain and Turkey were also confirming additional troops for Greece.
This summer, heat waves have dried out pine forests and caused wildfires to rage. June and July were the hottest months on record for Greece, which also had its hottest winter on record. The fire season arrived early this year, putting enormous pressure on the country’s firefighting forces.
“The firefighters have been working at full capacity for months. They are exhausted,” said Nikos Lavranos, president of Greece’s main firefighters union.
Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Vassilis Kikilias said on Monday that authorities were facing “an extremely dangerous fire and we have been fighting for more than 20 hours in a serious situation.” Kikilias said the fire was mainly burning in two different directions and that parts of the area were particularly difficult to reach in the mountainous area northeast of Athens.
Three hospitals, including one for children, two convents and a children’s home were evacuated on Monday afternoon. At least 30 emergency push alerts were sent to mobile phones in the region, warning people to flee, while homes were burned in several areas, but the exact number was not immediately clear.
“The wind blows one way, the other. The smoke is suffocating. You can’t see anything. Tears are coming out. You can’t breathe. You can’t see your house,” said Spyros Gorilas, a resident of the Dioni area, who hosed down his home to prevent it from catching fire. “Even if helicopters drop water, you can’t see. You can only hear noises. There’s nothing.”
Evacuation orders were issued throughout the day for Athens suburbs as strong winds continued unabated. Fire department spokesman Col. Vassilios Vaslakogiannis said authorities had faced more than 40 fires since early Monday morning in areas where the fires had weakened.
The fire department said a total of 702 firefighters, supported by 27 teams specially trained to fight fires, including more than 80 armed forces personnel, battled the blaze. The fire department deployed more than 190 fire engines, with 17 sprinklers and 16 helicopters providing air support.
Vatrakogiannis said three hospitals in Athens were on high alert, and paramedics and ambulances treated two firefighters, one with minor burns and the other with breathing difficulties, and 13 civilians with breathing difficulties. The Athens Medical Association urged residents near the affected areas to exercise caution, especially those with chronic diseases, the elderly, pregnant women, young children and people with respiratory and heart diseases.
The Greek Coast Guard has diverted all ferries to and from the nearby port of Rafina, which mainly serves the Cyclades and Crete, to Lavrion because of the fire, while authorities are providing temporary shelter for evacuees in gymnasiums and hotels.
The police department said a total of 380 police officers, 77 vehicles, 36 motorcycles, three buses and four vans assisted in the evacuation and had helped more than 250 people away from the fire as of about 10 a.m. The police department posted a video on its social media channels showing officers carrying elderly people out of the house and into waiting vehicles against the backdrop of a night sky stained red by flames and smoke.
The fire department called on residents to comply with evacuation orders, with authorities noting that some people who refused to leave their homes were later trapped and required rescue, endangering the lives of firefighters.
Meteorologists and government officials warned that wildfire danger has increased due to weather conditions from Sunday to Thursday, with half of the country now on red alert for wildfire danger.
Wildfires are common in Greece during its hot, dry summers, but authorities say climate change is exacerbating larger and more frequent wildfires. In 2018, a fire swept through the coastal town of Mati, east of Athens, trapping people in their homes and on roads as they tried to escape by car. More than 100 people died, some of whom drowned while trying to swim away from the flames.
Last year, wildfires in Greece killed more than 20 people, including 18 migrants who were trapped by the flames while crossing a forest in northeastern Greece. The fire raged for more than two weeks.
Summer temperatures and strong winds also hit neighboring North Macedonia and Albania on Monday.
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