Two People Killed in Southern Greece Forest Wildfire
ATHENS, Greece—Two individuals lost their lives overnight in a significant wildfire that is raging through forested areas in Greece near a coastal resort in the southern part of the country, as confirmed by authorities on Monday.
The fire department mentioned that approximately 350 firefighters, supported by 18 water-dropping aircraft, were engaged in combating the fire near Xylokastro in the Peloponnese region.
While the main extensive front of the fire has been extinguished, scattered flare-ups persist, prompting mandatory evacuation orders for three villages on Monday.
Prior to this, six villages were evacuated as a precautionary measure overnight after the fire ignited on Sunday. Xylokastro was not under immediate threat. The flames were exacerbated by extremely strong winds blowing through forests that had become bone-dry due to a warm spring and hot summer.
Civil protection authorities cautioned that various parts of the country, including Rhodes and other southeastern Aegean Sea islands, would be at a heightened risk of wildfires on Tuesday.
Officials indicated that the two deceased individuals were suspected to be residents who were reported missing late on Sunday. No other individuals were reported missing. There were no initial reports of homes being damaged by fire in the affected area, located approximately 150 kilometers (93 miles) southwest of Athens, Greece’s capital.
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Firefighters, aided by five water-dropping aircraft, were also combatting a forest fire that erupted on Monday further south, near Xerokambi in the central Peloponnese.
Additionally, another wildfire near Andravida in the western Peloponnese was successfully contained on Monday, although firefighters remained on high alert.
During the past few months, authorities have had to manage over 4,500 wildfires in areas left dry by a prolonged drought and early summer heatwaves, making it the most perilous fire season in twenty years.
A substantial investment in additional water-bombing aircraft, warning drones, and other equipment has enabled firefighters to extinguish most fires shortly after ignition. However, in August, a severe wildfire swept through the mountains north of Athens, destroying numerous homes and claiming a life.
Despite this, authorities state that the areas burned this summer are approximately 25% smaller than the annual average of the past two decades.
