Eight Villages Evacuated in Northern Greece Due to a Large Wildfire

On Saturday, authorities in Greece carried out the evacuation of eight villages situated near the northeastern border with Turkey due to a massive wildfire that raged during the summer season. The fire was further exacerbated by strong winds, making it difficult to control.

More than 130 firefighters were engaged in battling the flames, aided by 14 aircraft equipped to drop water and three helicopters. Their struggle to contain the fire necessitated additional support from other regions of the country. The wildfire initially erupted on Saturday close to the village of Melia, situated to the east of the town of Alexandroupolis.

Fortunately, there were no immediate casualties among firefighters or local residents. However, some residential properties were reported to have sustained damage in two of the villages that were evacuated.

In related developments, a section of a key highway in the affected area was temporarily shut down because of thick smoke that reduced visibility.

Officials from the European Union have pointed to climate change as the underlying cause of the increasingly frequent and severe wildfires in Europe. They highlighted that 2022 ranks as the second-most damaging year for wildfires, trailing only 2017.

Simultaneously, in the Canary Islands, Spanish authorities mandated the evacuation of thousands of Tenerife residents due to a wildfire that continued to burn uncontrollably for a fourth consecutive day.

Local residents in Alexandroupolis, Greece, were warned to keep their windows shut to avoid smoke from the wildfire.

Another less significant wildfire was reported outside Thessaloniki, Greece’s second-largest city. Meanwhile, firefighters successfully contained a fire on the western island of Cephalonia.

Authorities have issued a high alert for wildfires over the weekend.

Last month, central Greece witnessed devastating wildfires that led to the evacuation of around 20,000 tourists on the island of Rhodes. Tragically, shortly afterward, two air force pilots lost their lives when their water-dropping plane crashed as they were attempting to battle a fire on the island of Evia.

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