Greece NOW! Unstoppable Wildfires: Athens on the Brink of Disaster

On August 11, a wildfire broke out in the Varnafa area of Greece, and since then, it has spread across much of northeastern Attica. By Tuesday morning, the fire had no unified front, and according to the fire department, forces were battling scattered active hotspots from Varnafa to Nea Makri and Penteli, remaining on alert for potential flare-ups.

By midday on August 12, major wildfires approached the Greek capital. Dozens of aerial resources and hundreds of firefighters were unable to contain the blaze.
More than 700 firefighters, 199 vehicles, 17 airplanes, 18 helicopters, and a large number of military personnel and volunteers were deployed to fight the fire.

The fire spread very quickly due to strong winds reaching speeds of up to fifty-six miles per hour and got out of control, forcing the evacuation of thousands of people from the suburbs of Athens.

Regional authorities reported that some people who refused to leave their homes were later trapped, and firefighters had to risk their lives to rescue them.

The fire, which started in Varnafa, reached Chalandri and Vrilissia. Flames swept into the city, uncontrollably burning houses, schools, businesses, and vehicles. During the firefighting efforts, the body of a woman, approximately 60-65 years old, was found in a burned building in the Patima Vrilissia area. The owner of the business where the victim worked expressed shock and sorrow, stating that he couldn’t understand why she didn’t leave the building when everyone else did.

In some areas, the flames reached heights of 82 feet. In addition to homes and property, many animals, including dogs and cats, perished in the fire.

The fire engulfed buildings at the National Observatory of Athens, threatening to destroy important equipment and the results of years of research work.

As of August 13, the area scorched by the fire exceeded 100,000 acres. Unfortunately, there has already been one casualty.

Due to a severe shortage of specialists and equipment for extinguishing wildfires, Greece has sought international assistance.

Hundreds of wildfires have been raging in Greece since May. Scientists link this to a lack of rainfall and abnormal temperatures. The winter and the first two months of summer were the hottest in the country’s recorded history.

The scale and frequency of natural disasters are increasing, and soon the concept of international assistance may cease to exist as countries will simultaneously be dealing with the consequences of natural disasters within their own borders.

Moreover, these grim prospects are not in the distant future but a reality of the next 4-6 years. Why is there such an increase in climate disasters, and more importantly, how can we stop this process? Learn more at the forum “Global Crisis. The Responsibility.”