EU firefighters to join as Greece battles blaze

Athens: Greece battled a massive wildfire near Athens for a third day on Tuesday (Aug 13), with hundreds of European firefighters due to join the effort to contain the deadly blaze that has scorched parts of the capital’s suburbs.

Fuelled by strong winds, Greece’s worst wildfire this year raced across a parched landscape, forcing thousands of people to flee their homes as it wreaked widespread destruction around the Greek capital.

The body of a Moldovan woman was found in a burned out factory and at least 66 people have been treated for injuries since the fire broke out Sunday, authorities said. Five firefighters have been hurt.

“We are at a better level across the front,” Costas Tsigkas, head of the association of Greek firefighter officers, told state television ERT early on Tuesday.

“But conditions again will not be easy. There will be winds from midday onwards … (and) … every hour that passes will be more difficult,” he said.

The National Observatory said temperatures of up to 38 degrees Celsius are expected in Athens on Tuesday, with winds of up to 39kmh.

Some 700 firefighters, backed by 200 fire engines and nine aircraft, were on Tuesday battling the blaze that broke out on Sunday afternoon in the town of Varnavas, some 35km northeast of Athens, the fire department said.

Fanned by strong winds, it grew to a 30km-long front line of flames more than 25m high in places, according to state TV ERT.

Greece’s National Observatory, itself threatened by the wildfire, said on Monday that at least 10,000ha had been devastated by the fire.

Following a call for international help by the Greek government, additional firefighters, helicopters, fire engines and water tankers from France, Italy, the Czech Republic, Romania, Serbia and Turkey were expected to join the effort, authorities said.

According to the health ministry, 66 people have been treated for injuries related to the fire since Sunday.