Greece Requests EU Assistance as Wildfires Spread in the Country

Wildfires in the outskirts of Athens, the capital of Greece, have spread due to strong winds, forcing hundreds of residents to evacuate their homes. This fire, described as the worst blaze in Greece this year, continued for a second day on Monday, August 22. The Greek government requested assistance from other EU member states to extinguish the fire. According to officials in Athens, the extent of this wildfire in the capital is unprecedented in the past decade. The fire started on Sunday evening, August 21, from a village located 35 kilometers north of Athens. Reports indicate that approximately 700 firefighters, along with many volunteers, are currently battling the blaze, with 35 water-dropping aircraft and 190 fire trucks participating in the firefighting operations. France and the Czech Republic are expected to send firefighters and firefighting aircraft to Greece soon. Athens has also received offers of assistance from Spain, Cyprus, and Turkey. Some residents of the northern outskirts of Athens, which is a forested area, are trying to contain the fire with simple tools like tree branches or basic water hoses. According to the latest reports, the fire has reached within 14 kilometers of central Athens; however, due to the presence of highways between the burned area and the city center, it is unlikely that the flames will reach Athens. A spokesperson for the Greek fire department reported that by Monday morning, the number of injured included two firefighters who suffered burns and 13 others due to smoke inhalation. Government officials stated that residents of at least 25 areas in the outskirts of Athens and at least three hospitals have been evacuated, and the power transmission network has been cut off in parts of the capital's outskirts. Ferry services between Athens and the port of Rafina, located in the northeast, have also been disrupted. Police have assisted in evacuating at least 250 residents from areas threatened by the wildfire, and most of these individuals spent the previous night in temporary shelters. The head of the research center at the Athens meteorological office stated, "The fire is very extensive and aggressive, spreading from several fronts and approaching Athens." Natural wildfires in the summer are not unprecedented in Greece and other Southern European countries, but experts say that due to climate change and global warming, the intensity and frequency of wildfires are much greater than in past decades. In the past two weeks, parts of the Balkans and Spain have also witnessed natural wildfires. This winter, the average temperature in Greece left a new record, and meteorological forecasts indicate that this year will be the hottest summer recorded in the country's history. In many areas of Greece, including the region currently on fire, rainfall in recent months has been either zero or very minimal.