- Hundreds of Greek firefighters battled a wildfire northwest of Athens for a fourth day on Monday after strong and erratic winds helped it devastate homes, pine forests and thousands of hectares of farmland, forcing evacuations by land and sea.
- More than 400 firefighters and 21 aircraft were deployed near the communities of Kandili and Agia Skepi on Monday, while heavy machinery was used to carve fire breaks to protect homes.
- A preliminary investigation linked a fire in Boeotia to sparks from a private power line transmitting electricity from wind turbines; an electrical engineer and a contractor were arrested and are being investigated for arson.
- Deputy Climate Crisis Minister Kostas Katsafados told public broadcaster ERT that strong and erratic winds had prevented water bombers from drawing up seawater, leaving ground forces to fight the blazes.
- Resident Anastasia Hatzoglou described the loss as an awful feeling and spoke of the care she put into her property and the oil she makes, saying her stone-built home suffered extensive damage and her olive trees burned.
- Days of operations have overstretched a thinly staffed and ageing fire service, a legacy of a hiring freeze during Greece's 2009-2018 debt crisis, according to Nikos Lavranos, head of the Federation of Unions of Fire Service Employees.
- The fast-moving flames destroyed lush forests and caused extensive damage to olive trees just months before harvest, an eagerly anticipated annual ritual in many Greek households.
Hundreds of Greek firefighters continued to battle a wildfire northwest of Athens for a fourth day, with over 400 firefighters and 21 aircraft deployed near Kandili and Agia Skepi. Strong winds have hindered aerial firefighting efforts, forcing ground crews to fight the flames alone.123
The fire has devastated homes, pine forests, and thousands of hectares of farmland, leading to evacuations by land and sea. Deputy Climate Crisis Minister Kostas Katsafados noted that the winds prevented water bombers from drawing seawater, leaving ground forces to manage the crisis.6
The flames have caused extensive damage to olive trees, crucial for the upcoming harvest. Local resident Anastasia Hatzoglou expressed her despair, stating, "It's an awful feeling, when you build something with so much effort, and when money is not easy to find."78912
In a related investigation, two individuals have been arrested for arson linked to a fire in Boeotia, which was reportedly caused by sparks from a private power line. The fire brigade indicated that the blaze traveled 25 km (15 miles) from its origin.45
The ongoing firefighting efforts have stretched Greece's fire service, which has faced challenges due to a hiring freeze during the 2009-2018 debt crisis. Nikos Lavranos, head of the Federation of Unions of Fire Service Employees, emphasized the need for well-rested firefighters, stating, "A firefighter who is useful to fellow citizens and society is a rested firefighter, not an exhausted one."1011
“Strong winds kept water bombers from drawing up seawater, forcing ground crews to fight the blazes alone, said Deputy Climate Crisis Minister Kostas Katsafados. Separately, an electrical engineer and a contractor were arrested on suspicion of arson after a Boeotia fire was linked to a private power line.”
