Greek firefighters are currently engaged in a fierce battle against a massive wildfire that has claimed the lives of at least 20 people over the past ten days, marking it as Europe’s deadliest wildfire of the summer. This devastating blaze, fueled by extreme heatwaves sweeping the continent, originated near Alexandroupolis and has been raging uncontrollably in Greece’s Evros region in the northeast. The intense fire has been exacerbated by near-gale force winds and high temperatures, resulting in widespread destruction. Tragically, the vast majority of the victims were irregular migrants hiding in the forest.
The magnitude of this wildfire has earned it the classification of a “megafire,” according to Greek Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis. The Copernicus Climate Change Service of the European Union has indicated that the Evros blaze has already engulfed over 77,000 hectares of land, making it one of the largest fires to occur in Europe in recent years.
In response to the widespread devastation, the country’s Climate Crisis and Civil Protection minister, along with other senior government ministers, visited the affected area to assess the damage. Additionally, lawmakers are slated to convene in parliament on Thursday to discuss the repercussions of these devastating fires and evaluate the nation’s level of preparedness.
The wildfire that broke out on the outskirts of Athens last Tuesday has finally subsided, according to the fire brigade.
Greece has been confronting a significant surge in wildfires this summer, forcing numerous individuals to evacuate their homes across the country. This marks the second major outbreak of fires in Greece this season. In July, approximately 20,000 foreign tourists were displaced from the island of Rhodes, where a wildfire devastated resorts and hotels.
Reported by Karolina Tagaris, Lefteris Papadimas, and Renee Maltezou; Edited by Peter Graff.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
