On the afternoon of 11 August 2024, a wildfire fire hit the northeastern Attica region of Greece. The fire broke out in the area of Varnavas, northeast of Athens, at 3:02 PM, according to Fire Colonel Vassileios Vathrakogiannis, the Fire Service spokesman and quickly spread due to strong winds. The flames caused the evacuation of many settlements and caused severe damage to homes and forest lands. The fire continues to burn, affecting significant parts of northeastern Attica and threatening the northern districts of Athens.[2]
2024 Attica wildfires | |
---|---|
Date(s) | 11–14 August 15:02 – |
Location | Attica, Greece |
Coordinates | 38°14′40″N 23°55′43″E / 38.244529°N 23.928745°E |
Statistics | |
Burned area | 8,594.2 hectares / 85.94km2 / 21,236.73 acres |
Impacts | |
Deaths | 1 |
Non-fatal injuries | 2[1] |
Ignition | |
Cause | heat wave, wind |
The fire spread southward and burned on three fronts, including the village of Grammatiko, the town of Marathon, the seaside municipality of Nea Makri and Mount Penteli.[1]
Another blaze in a forested area near the town of Megara, west of Athens, started on 11 August, but had been contained by the afternoon of 12 August, according to the fire brigade.[3]
Firefighting efforts
editEarly attempts involved 120 firefighters, nine ground teams, 23 vehicles, two planes and three helicopters. Residents were being evacuated toward Grammatiko and Kifisia.[4]
Shortly after 18:00, 250 firefighters with 67 fire engines, were already fighting the fire on the ground, by water wagons from the regional administration and the armed forces. 12 planes and 6 helicopters were dousing the fires and one helicopter served to coordinate them.[2]
On 12 August, the forces deployed against the flames were increased to 560 firefighters, together with 16 teams of forest commandos and 177 vehicles, while 32 aircraft (17 airplanes and 15 helicopters) were operating from the air.[1][5] The Hellenic Army was also been deployed to assist.[6]
By 13 August, the wildfire no longer had a single front. According to the Fire Brigade, the firefighters had to deal with scattered pockets of fire from Varnavas to Nea Makri and Penteli, while there were constant rekindlings.[7]
Civil Protection Minister Vassilis Kikilias stated that overall, a total of 702 firefighters were deployed, with 27 forest commando groups, 199 vehicles, while 17 aircraft and 18 helicopters operated periodically, three of which had a coordinating role. In total, Civil Protection sent evacuation messages to 45 areas of Attica.[8]
International assistance
editOn 12 August, the EU Civil Protection Mechanism was mobilized.[9] The following countries responded:
- Romania – 40 firefighters were deployed.[10]
- France – One Eurocopter AS332 Super Puma is expected to arrive.
- Italy – Two Canadair firefighting aircraft are expected to arrive.
- Czech Republic – 75 firefighters and 25 firefighting vehicles, including nine water wagons, are expected to arrive.
- Cyprus is preparing to send a large team of firefighters.
- Spain offered help, with arrangements to be finalized.[11]
Other countries' contribution:
- Moldova deployed its General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations (IGSU) in the region.[12]
- Turkey offered to send two Air Tractor AT-802 fire-fighting aircraft.[13]
Impact and reaction
editAccording to the Copernicus EMS Rapid Mapping Viewer, the fire fronts reached a total of 23.9 km (14.9 mi), while the fire burned 8,594.2 hectares (21,237 acres) of land, with 157.8 hectares (390 acres) accounting for land consisting of residential buildings.[14] It was the first time that a wildfire that started around the Attica region, penetrated so deep within the residential core of the city of Athens, reaching the suburbs of Vrilissia and Chalandri.[15]
A week after the fire, the Greek government announced a reforestation program for over 5,800 hectares throughout Attica. This covers previously burned areas of the last 15 years which can not naturally regenerate.[16]
Casualties
editOne firefighter was injured while fighting the fire in the area of Marathon, suffering second degree burns to his hands and legs. He was first taken to the Nea Makri health centre and then to the 251 Air Force General Hospital.[5]
Two fire trucks were engulfed in flames in the area of Neos Voutzas, where the fire is raging out of control. One firefighter suffered minor burns and the remaining three were in good health.[17]
A hospital, a children's hospital and a military hospital, as well as at least two monasteries, were also evacuated.[13][18]
Thirty-one people from areas of north-eastern Attica were transported to hospitals with respiratory problems.[19]
In the early hours of 13 August, the charred body of a 62-year-old Moldovan woman[20][21] was found inside the building of a local business, at the Patima neighborhood of the Athenian suburb of Chalandri. She had been missing since noon of the previous day.[22]
Attica fires chronology
edit- 1981: Kifissia, 612 hectares
- 1982: Dionysos, 1,360 hectares
- 1986: Varympompi, 500 hectares
- 1992: Avlonas, 6,700 hectares
- 1993: Mount Penteli, 5,700 hectares
- 2005: Rafina, 1,100 hectares
- 2007: Parnitha, 5,000 hectares[citation needed]
- 2009: Penteli, 21,000 hectares
- 2018: Mati and Rafina, 1,431 hectares
- 2021: Parnitha, 420 hectares
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d "Greece: Emergency crews continuing response to wildfires in Varnavas, Attica Region, as of early Aug. 12 /update 1". Greece: Emergency crews continuing response to wildfires in Varnavas, Attica Region, as of early Aug. 12 /update 1. 12 August 2024. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
- ^ a b "Attica wildfires: One contained, another still developing". eKathimerini.com. 11 August 2024. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
- ^ "People flee wildfire near Athens as it spreads 'like lightning'". www.euractiv.com. 12 August 2024. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
- ^ "Evacuation alerts issued as wildfires rage in Attica and Thessaloniki". eKathimerini.com. 11 August 2024. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
- ^ a b "Monasteries were evacuated (PHOTOS) (upd)". Orthodox Times (en). 12 August 2024. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
- ^ Bayer, Lili; Smith, Helena; Jones, Sam (12 August 2024). "Greece has brought in the army to help extinguish fires raging out of control in eastern Attica – as it happened". the Guardian. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
- ^ "Situation with Attica wildfires improved overall; charred body found in Patima Halandriou". Hellasjournal.com. 13 August 2024. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
- ^ Παπαδόπουλος, Γιάννης (14 August 2024). "Φωτιά στην Αττική: Οι έρευνες των Αρχών για την αρχική εστία στον Βαρνάβα". Η ΚΑΘΗΜΕΡΙΝΗ (in Greek). Retrieved 14 August 2024.
- ^ Ομάδα, Συντακτική (12 August 2024). "Ενεργοποίηση του Ευρωπαϊκού Μηχανισμού Πολιτικής Προστασίας για τις πυρκαγιές – Αναμένεται συνδρομή από Γαλλία, Ιταλία και Τσεχία". ertnews.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 12 August 2024.
- ^ "Πυρκαγιές στην Αττική: Ποιες χώρες σπεύδουν να συνδράμουν". Η ΚΑΘΗΜΕΡΙΝΗ (in Greek). 12 August 2024. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
- ^ "Φωτιά στην Αττική: Γαλλία, Ιταλία και Τσεχία στέλνουν ενισχύσεις για την μάχη με τις φλόγες". ProtoThema (in Greek). 12 August 2024. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
- ^ "Wildfires in Greece. Moldovan firefighters deployed in Greece rescued three people". Moldova 1. 12 August 2024. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
- ^ a b "Türkiye offers to help Greece fight massive wildfire raging near Athens". Anadolu Ajansı. 12 August 2024. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
- ^ "Copernicus EMS Rapid Mapping Activation Viewer". Copernicus EMS Rapid Mapping Activation Viewer. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
- ^ Πολυχρονόπουλος, Σπύρος (13 August 2024). "Φωτιές στην Αττική: Πρώτος απολογισμός και απόδοση ευθυνών- Κόντρα κυβέρνησης-αντιπολίτευσης". Reporter.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 13 August 2024.
- ^ "Government's extensive plan for restoration of fire-stricken Attica | eKathimerini.com". www.ekathimerini.com. 20 August 2024. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ^ Newsroom, Proson (12 August 2024). "Πυρκαγιά στον Νέο Βουτζά: Κάηκαν δύο Πυροσβεστικά οχήματα". Proson (in Greek). Retrieved 12 August 2024.
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has generic name (help) - ^ Μορφόπουλος, Ανδρέας (12 August 2024). "Φωτιά στην Αττική: 31 άνθρωποι σε νοσοκομεία με αναπνευστικά προβλήματα". NewsIT (in Greek). Retrieved 12 August 2024.
- ^ "Φωτιά στην Αττική: Εκκενώθηκαν 3 ψυχιατρικές κλινικές". Newsbomb (in Greek). 12 August 2024. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
- ^ Παπαδόπουλος, Γιάννης (14 August 2024). "Φωτιά στην Αττική: "Ηταν λες και πέρασε ατομική βόμβα"". Η ΚΑΘΗΜΕΡΙΝΗ (in Greek). Retrieved 14 August 2024.
- ^ JAKUBEK, Anna Maria; HADOULIS, John (13 August 2024). "Greece battles deadly wildfire for third day". Yahoo News. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
- ^ "Νεκρή γυναίκα στο Πάτημα Χαλανδρίου – Εντοπίστηκε απανθρακωμένη – Μάχη με τις αναζωπυρώσεις". Reader (in Greek). Retrieved 12 August 2024.