In Greece, firefighters began controlling fires on the island of Evia after nine days of ‘manual work’

“I think we can say that the fire front is slowly being brought under control.”Yiannis Kontzias, mayor of Istiaia, a small town on the island of Evia, Greece, told Greek Radio Television on Wednesday, August 11. Hundreds of firefighters have continued to battle massive wildfires, one of which has been raging for nine days, displacing many people and causing extensive damage.

Greece is in the grip of scorching temperatures that have led to twelve days of violent fires. Because of this unprecedented heat wave in thirty years, The fires destroyed more than 56,000 hectares of forest and killed three people. With the help of foreign reinforcements, Greek firefighters still work on the island of Evia, the largest in Greece, and on the Peloponnese (west), in a rugged area.

Prevent the fire from reaching Mt. Minali

“Yesterday we saw sunlight for the first time in days”The mayor added, referring to the huge clouds of smoke covering the island. The situation was most dangerous in the mountainous region of Gortinia (Arcadia), rich in dense forests and deep valleys, in the Peloponnese.

According to Christos Lampropoulos, deputy governor of the Arcadia region, relief efforts are focusing their efforts to prevent the fire from reaching Mount Menali, which is topped with thick forest. “The villages do not seem to be in danger at the moment (…)But conditions change from hour to hour., he told ERT.

Several countries, including European Union member states, sent reinforcements of 21 aircraft, 250 vehicles and more than 1,200 firefighters. Voices rose to demand the resignation of top relief officials, who reiterated in June that the country was well prepared.

586 fires in eight days

means “Better than ever”, more “We experienced an operationally unique situation, seeing 586 fires in eight days during the worst weather event in forty years”The Deputy Minister of Civil Protection, Nikos Hardalias, was justified Tuesday.

On Monday, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis asked the Greek people to pardon ‘Potential errors’ States. In addition to the destruction of hundreds of homes and a severe blow to Greece’s meager forests, the local economy has been devastated. We lost August, which was going to support people for the next year. (…) Domestic tourism has been destroyed, mostly [des visiteurs] They have goneSorry, mayor of Istia. The damage is massive and the environmental disaster will have economic repercussions for decades. “