Hundreds of firefighters in Greece are battling to save a popular coastal resort northwest of Athens as violent winds continue to lash the country, hampering firefighting operations. The fire department reported that over 300 firefighters were operating in the area of Porto Germeno, approximately 70 kilometers northwest of Athens in the region of Viotia.
Fire Spreads Rapidly
The fire department spokesman told AFP that the fire has reached the sea, and homes have certainly been damaged. 'The winds are very strong. Aircraft are trying to operate as best they can, but some are unable to and have been transferred to another fire (in the Peloponnese) where conditions are milder,' he added.
Widespread Impact
The fire broke out near the neighboring coastal village of Agios Vasileios. Residents initially ignored a civil protection call to evacuate, and approximately 300 people had to be rescued by sea. Theodore Giannaros, a wildfire meteorologist and senior researcher at the National Observatory of Athens, said the damage to the Porto Germeno area was 'inconceivable,' with the affected area appearing to exceed 4-5,000 hectares.
Wildfires have flared in several parts of the country this week, including on the popular island of Crete, and three firefighters have lost their lives. On Friday, another fire threatened the suburb of Haidari west of Athens, which had to be partly evacuated. A maximum fire risk alert has been issued for Saturday in the greater Athens area, parts of the Peloponnese and Crete, central Greece, and the border region with Turkey.
Climate Crisis Impact
Greece's geography, with its hundreds of islands, complicates the rapid deployment of emergency responders. Hit hard by the climate crisis like the rest of the Mediterranean region, the country is plagued by wildfires every summer due to high temperatures, frequent heat waves, and drought. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis warned on Thursday that Greece was headed for 'difficult days.'
