According to the fire services, a large number of firefighters were fighting it out on Saturday to stop a flames from spreading to a nature reserve in a mountainous forest on the fringes of Athens.
About 80 firefighters, supported by 10 water- carrying flights, were working to control the blaze on Mount Parnitha, situated about 20 miles ( 12 miles ) northeast of the Greek capital. Strong winds were bringing on the fire.
A local governor claimed that no homes were currently in danger from the fire despite the thick cloud of smoke that could be seen in the sky over Athens, which is surrounded by mountains. ” The situation is stable so far”, said Costas Zobos, a deputy governor for part of Athens, during an interview with state television.
Authorities have advised people to avoid forest areas because of the hot and windy conditions that are prevalent throughout much of the nation. Meteorologists have predicted that the winds wo n’t likely wane before Sunday.
Wildfires are a common occurrence in the Mediterranean nation, but they have grown more severe in recent years as summers have become hotter, drier, and windier, which scientists believe is due to climate change.
Greece has developed a new strategy that includes accelerating air support, clearing forests, and deploying an additional fire truck to each new blaze in response to last summer’s deadly forest fires and the nation’s hottest winter on record.
A significant portion of Mount Parnitha’s nature reserve, which is densely populated with pine and fir trees, was destroyed by a large fire in 2007.
