The fires of devastating vegetation in Crete and Athens, fueled by heat and wind. Thousands of tourists and locals evacuated
The strong wind gusts made the firefighters' efforts to keep the vegetation fires that devastate the island of Crete, consuming forests and orchards and forcing the evacuation of thousands of locals and tourists.
The fires in Crete broke out on Wednesday, July 2. Photo: x / @trtworldnow
Greece mobilized on Friday, July 4, in Crete about 130 firefighters, 48 vehicles and six helicopters. Due to the wind and the conditions of extreme drought, the risk of re -remitting the flames remains high, even in the areas where the fires were already extinguished, notes Reuters.
The situation is serious in Athens. In the suburb of Koropi, about 800 people were evacuated, while over 120 firefighters, supported by eight aircraft and eight helicopters, fought with a proportional fire, according to a fireman spokesman.
The fires come against the background of a heat wave that affects most of Europe. Officials have already announced at least eight deaths caused by extreme temperatures.
In Crete, the fire broke out on Wednesday in a village about 16 kilometers east of Ierpetra and destroyed much of the agricultural land in the southeast of the island. Several farms were burned, the animals died, and the houses and machines were consumed by flames.
“The damage is incalculable. Everything is destroyed: machinery for drilling, pipes, tires, cars, concrete,” said a farmer as he stood near his burnt truck.
George Tzarakis, the president of the Ierpetra Hotel Association, told Reuters that most of the approximately 3,500 evacuated tourists have already returned to hotels. However, the tourism industry – vital for the island's economy – is worried about future reservations, especially since the fires have hit at the beginning of the leading summer season.
In another neighborhood of Athens, Pikermi, 148 firefighters intervened on Thursday to extinguish a fire that threatened numerous homes, caused current interruptions and forced the evacuation of over 300 people.
Fire alert in several European countries
Other Mediterranean countries are also facing extreme temperatures and danger of fires. In Italy, the Ministry of Health has issued a red code for 20 of the 27 monitored cities, while the temperatures rose to 38 ° C in Florence and 37 ° C in Rome, Bologna and Perugia. In Spain, the Ministry of Health estimates that, from June so far, 341 deaths have been caused by diseases associated with heat.
With the high temperatures, the risk of fires increases. Greece and other states of the Mediterranean region are in an area considered by experts an “Focus of fires”and in recent years the flames have become increasingly devastating due to climatic changes.
“Given the multiple heat waves and the awaited fire risks until September, it is essential to move from a reactive response to a proactive training,” He warned the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Fountain in a recent call.
