Greek firefighters have made significant progress in containing a deadly forest blaze that has been burning for four days in southern Greece. The firefighting efforts, involving hundreds of firefighters, waterbombing planes, and volunteers, have led to a noticeable reduction in the spread of the fire, which claimed the lives of two local residents on Sunday.
The fire service has reported that the focus is now on extinguishing smaller scattered blazes within the affected area. Satellite maps released by Greece’s weather service show that the fire has scorched approximately 6,500 hectares (16,000 acres) of rugged, mountainous terrain in the Corinthia area of the Peloponnese region.
As of Wednesday, around 570 firefighters, 160 fire trucks, and 11 aircraft are involved in the operation. Among the aircraft are three from Italy and Croatia, dispatched in response to Greece’s request for assistance from fellow European Union members. While several villages were evacuated between Sunday and Tuesday as a precautionary measure, firefighters managed to prevent the flames from reaching these areas. Some outlying structures have been damaged, including a historic church that was destroyed by the fire.
Greece, like other countries in southern Europe, grapples with destructive and often deadly forest fires during the summer months. This year, a combination of factors such as climate change-induced drought, high spring temperatures, and summer heatwaves has resulted in a record number of over 4,500 wildfires so far. Many of these fires have occurred outside the typical summer fire season months.
The exact cause of the forest blaze in Corinthia has not been determined yet, but authorities suggest that negligence is a probable factor. Despite the challenges posed by this fire and others like it, the efforts of the firefighting teams, supported by international cooperation, have been crucial in combating the ongoing threat of wildfires in the region.