Greece wildfires – latest: Wall of fire burns near Athens, as historic town faces ‘biblical catastrophe’
Support truly
independent journalism
Our mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.
Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.
Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.
Hundreds of firefighters have been deployed to battle a major forest fire raging out of control on the outskirts of the Greek capital Athens.
Stergios Tsirkas, mayor of the historic Greek town of Marathon, warned they are facing a “biblical catastrophe”.
“Our whole town is engulfed in flames and going through difficult times,” he told Greece’s Skai TV channel.
“We are facing a biblical catastrophe.”
The town’s seven thousand people are being moved to safety as the fire advances on Athens, just over 25 miles southeast.
Thousands of residents have fled their homes as the fast-moving blaze fuelled by hot, windy weather burned trees, houses and cars and sent smoke clouds over the Greek capital.
A children’s hospital, a military hospital, two monasteries and a children’s home were evacuated on Monday morning, and emergency alerts continue to be sent out.
Around 600 firefighters, backed by 27 teams specially trained to tackle wildfires and including more than 80 members of the armed forces, are battling the flames.
More than 180 vehicles were deployed, while more than 30 water-dropping planes and helicopters were providing aerial support.
Evacuation orders were issued for more than a dozen areas, including Marathon and several Athens suburbs. Three Athens hospitals were put on heightened alert to treat any potential injuries.
Pictured: Firefighters tackle blaze in Grammatiko, near Athens
Jabed Ahmed12 August 2024 12:26
Fire department urges residents to follow evacuation orders
The Greek fire department has appealed to residents to follow evacuation orders, with authorities noting that some people who had refused to leave their homes later became trapped.
Col. Vassileios Vathrakogiannis, the fire department’s spokesman, said: “During the night, the wind remained strong, creating dangerous situations.”
“Unfortunately their intensity is expected to increase in the coming hours, and in any case citizens of the areas where the fire is developing must follow the directions of authorities,” he added.
Jabed Ahmed12 August 2024 11:59
Mapped: Where have the wildfires been?
Jabed Ahmed12 August 2024 11:48
How frequent are wildfires in Greece?
Wildfires are frequent in Greece during its hot, dry summers, but authorities have said climate change is fueling bigger and more frequent blazes.
In 2018, a massive fire swept through the seaside town of Mati, east of Athens, trapping people in their homes and on roads as they tried to flee in their cars. More than 100 people died, including some who drowned trying to swim away from the flames. Last year, wildfires in Greece killed more than 20 people, including 18 migrants who became trapped by the flames as they trekked through a forest in northeastern Greece and were caught by a massive fire that burned for more than two weeks.
Jabed Ahmed12 August 2024 11:45
Watch: Greece wildfires force hundreds to flee homes
Jabed Ahmed12 August 2024 11:30
Evacuation order issued by authorities
Jabed Ahmed12 August 2024 11:21
Police rescue child from block of flats near wildfire
Jabed Ahmed12 August 2024 11:15
EasyJet gives update on flights to Greece
British Airline group EasyJet has provided an update on flights to Athens from the UK.
A spokesperson for EasyJet told The Independent: “Our flight schedule to and from Athens is currently operating as normal however we continue to closely monitor the situation and the advice of the relevant authorities. The safety and wellbeing of our passengers and crew is easyJet’s highest priority”.
Jabed Ahmed12 August 2024 11:02
Full report: Greece wildfires force thousands to evacuate as warning issued to tourists
The Independent’s Rich Booth reports on the ground from Greece:
Jabed Ahmed12 August 2024 11:00
Two hospitals north of Athens evacuated
Two hospitals in Penteli, just north of Athens, were evacuated in the morning as the wildfires continue to spread.
Authorities evacuated the Penteli Children’s Hospital and the 414 Military Hospital.
Jabed Ahmed12 August 2024 10:45
