Hundreds of firefighters and volunteers continue to fight this Sunday against a dozen forest fires throughout the Greek territory, which forced some 7,000 people to evacuate this Saturday and have burned dozens of houses and businesses, in addition to a vast forest area.
The fire that was declared on the outskirts of Athens and that forced yesterday to evacuate the town of Kryoneri, of some 5,000 people and located about 20 kilometers north of the capital, is in remission and firefighters fight with small scattered sources, a fire spokesperson in a press conference reported on Sunday.
Some 220 firefighters with 70 trucks and two cistern helicopters operate in the area to contain the remaining spotlights and cool the area so that the fire does not revive.
Four people were transferred yesterday, Saturday, from this area to hospitals in the capital with respiratory problems, in addition to a firefighter who was hospitalized with minor burns, the Skai station reported.
The flames burned several houses in Kryoneri, as well as businesses and small industries, according to the same source.
In this fire, 110 police officers were also active who managed to rescue 27 people who were trapped.
The situation remains critical on the island of Cítera (South), in the Ionian Sea, where this Sunday the authorities ordered the evacuation of four small villages, which are added to a dozen evacuated locations this Saturday.
In total, some 350 people have had to leave their homes on this small Greek island, where some 70 firefighters with 22 trucks, 3 helicopters and 2 cistern airplanes continue to fight today against the flames.
Last night 139 people who were trapped in a beach were rescued by boats of the Coast Guard and private ships and were transferred by sea to a safe area.
“The situation today seems to be better and the fight continues with all the means we have at our disposal,” said Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, in his official Facebook account.
The conservative leader also pointed out that “the Greek state will be next to all those who saw their properties destroyed by the fury of fire”, thus committing to compensate those affected.
Other 100 firefighters with 30 trucks, seven airplanes and a cistern helicopter continue to operate today in the Region of Mesinia, in the Peloponnese Peninsula, where a forest fire formed yesterday to evacuate about five locations.
An older man had to be transferred to the hospital with respiratory problems.
Currently “the situation has improved” and there is only a front of active fire near the people of Aotos, which, however, for now this town does not threaten, the head of Civil Protection of the Regional Government of Mesinia, Labros Tzumis, told Skai.
On the island of Eubea, located about 50 kilometers north of Athens, firefighters fight against small scattered spotlights and there is no broad front of active fire.
This fire is one of the fastest spread, forcing hundreds of people from several villages and burning a vast virgin pine forest area.
“The sadness and concern are great, we will continue to fight in the hope that the disaster will not extend,” Kelaiditis, Vice Governor of this island, told state agency, which in 2021 saw about 50,000 hectares of its territory calculated by a large forest fire.
Firefighters continue to fight against other fires on the Greek island of Crete (South) and in the Kozani region (North).
Greece has lived since last Monday a wave of intense heat that fired the thermometers to 45.6 degrees in the south of the country.
