Video Greece has declared an emergency on the island of Chios, where hundreds of firefighters fight the vegetation fires for the third day
Fire in Chios. Photo: AA / Abaca / Abaca Press / Profimedia
The wind gusts complicated the efforts to extinguish the fires, which laughed forests and pastures as they headed to the north, west and south of Chios, the island's capital, writes Reuters.
Greece on Monday declared an emergency on Monday on the island of Chios, where hundreds of firefighters are fighting vegetation fires for the third day, while the wind has further strengthened the flames, causing current interruptions and evacuating the inhabitants.
“The situation on the island is quite difficult, because we constantly have new fronts (of fires), and the climatic conditions are not favorable,” said Yiannis Kefalogiannis, Minister for Climate and Civil Protection, on his arrival in Chios.
About 444 firefighters, 85 vehicles, helicopters and airplanes are actively involved in the fight with the flames.
The wind gusts complicated the efforts to extinguish the fires, which laughed forests and pastures as they headed north, west and south of Chios, the capital of the island, causing power feathers and forcing hundreds of locals to leave their homes.
The initial outbreaks broke out on Sunday morning in three distinct places: the villages Kofina, Agia Anna and Agios Makarios Vrontadon.
A fourth fire broke out shortly after midnight in Agios Markos, followed by a fifth Monday in the morning in Agiasmata.
While on Monday night there was optimism about the fact that the Focar in Agiasmata was under control, the fire in Agios Georgios Sikousis remains very active and has expanded for several kilometers, representing a significant threat to some localities on the island.
Kefalogiannis said the authorities will investigate the causes of fires.
Located at the southern extremity of Europe, Greece has felt in recent years the economic and environmental impact of frequent vegetation, which scientists say have been exacerbated by rapid climate change.
The country has spent hundreds of millions of euros to compensate for households and farmers for damage caused by extreme meteorological phenomena and to modernize fire extinguishing equipment.
This year, Greece hired a record number of firefighters, about 18,000, in anticipating a difficult season of fire.
