Devendra Kumar
Greek authorities took steps to bolster firefighting efforts in the country’s north-eastern region on Monday, where a massive wildfire has been burning for 10 days with no signs of abatement. The blaze, which is centered in the Alexandroupolis and Evros areas near the Turkish border, has ravaged vast tracts of forest, scorched homes, and prompted the evacuation of thousands of people. The fire department has deployed 474 firefighters, backed by 100 vehicles, seven planes, and two helicopters, to battle the flames. The forces include reinforcements from several European countries.
The fire has been blamed for 20 of the 21 wildfire-related deaths in Greece last week. Authorities are investigating what sparked the blaze, which has destroyed over 77,000 hectares of land, making it one of the largest single fires ever to have struck a European country. The bodies of 18 people were found in an area near the city of Alexandroupolis last Tuesday, with another body discovered in a forest in the region the previous day and one more found on Thursday. The bodies are believed to be those of migrants who recently crossed the nearby border with Turkey.
Greece’s disaster victim identification unit has been activated to identify the remains. In a separate fire in central Greece, a man reportedly died while trying to save his livestock from advancing flames. The wildfire situation is so dire that Greece has called for help from other European countries, with Germany, Sweden, Croatia, and Cyprus sending aircraft, and dozens of Romanian, French, Czech, Bulgarian, Albanian, Slovak, and Serb firefighters assisting on the ground.
As the country struggles to contain the blazes, Greece’s fire department is conducting extensive efforts to combat the fires. With hundreds of firefighters and equipment deployed across the country, the department is working to extinguish the flames and prevent further destruction. The situation remains precarious, with 74 wildfires raging across the country on Monday, with 27 new blazes breaking out in the 24-hour period between Sunday evening and Monday evening.
The Greek government has also taken measures to prevent wildfires, implementing regulations restricting activities such as the burning of dried vegetation and the use of outdoor barbecues from May to October. As of Friday, the authorities have arrested 163 people on fire-related charges since the start of the fire prevention season, including 118 for negligence and 24 for deliberate arson. With the fire raging on, authorities are urging residents to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions to prevent further wildfires.