Greece heightens wildfire alert following surge in blazes

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
7 Apr 2024 17:58
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The Civil Protection Ministry in Athens cautions that strong winds reaching speeds of up to 60 kph are forecasted to persist until Tuesday in certain regions of Greece, posing an extremely hazardous environment for fire outbreaks.

Flames rise during a forest fire on the island of Rhodes, Greece, Saturday, July 22, 2023. (AP)

Greece upgraded its wildfire alert status to "high risk", on Sunday, following numerous outbreaks of fires, as reported by the civil protection ministry.

Within 12 hours, the ministry, which also oversees responses to climate crises, recorded a total of 71 fires in agricultural and forested areas across the nation.

The fires have since been brought under control, including a significant blaze in Lasithi on Crete, which persisted until midday Sunday, according to statements from the fire department.

Three individuals sustained minor injuries, and one individual was apprehended for allegedly starting a fire on Saturday morning, the fire department added.

The suspect is scheduled to be handed over to the Lasithi public prosecutor's office on Monday, as per the same source.

The civil protection ministry cautioned that strong winds reaching speeds of up to 60 kph are forecasted to persist until Tuesday in certain regions of Greece, posing an extremely hazardous environment for fire outbreaks.

In response to this threat, particularly in areas encompassing the Athens region, the central parts, the Cyclades islands, and Crete, the ministry announced that all civil protection services will be elevated to level four, indicating a high risk of fires.

Over the winter, Greece experienced a record average temperature of 11.8 degrees Celsius (53.2 Fahrenheit), as reported by the Athens Observatory, which has also highlighted concerns regarding a concerning level of drought.

Unusually high temperatures have persisted since the beginning of April, with temperatures soaring to 31 degrees Celsius in Chania on Crete.

Last summer, Greece, along with many other Mediterranean regions, endured an extended heatwave resulting in 20 fatalities and the devastation of close to 175,000 hectares (430,000 acres) of land due to widespread fires.