Climate: Civil protection warns of high risk of forest fires in Greece

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climate
Civil protection warns of high risk of forest fires in Greece

Flames blazed on a hill in Rhodes last year. photo

© Petros Giannakouris/AP/dpa

Persistent drought and stormy winds have prepared the ground: dozens of fires had to be fought in Greece over the weekend. Civil defense and the fire department are on alert.

After more than five weeks without rain, Numerous fires broke out in Greece over the weekend. On Saturday alone, the fire department counted 72 bush fires and fires on agricultural land. Most of them broke out in Crete and central Greece. They were brought under control, the fire department announced. A man was seriously injured in Crete while trying to protect his home near the small port of Ierapetra, Greek Radio (ERT) reported.

Civil defense declared a state of alert because storms are expected to begin in the Aegean from this evening and until Tuesday. “Winds of force 7 to 8 are expected, making the situation extremely dangerous,” Civil Defense warned. It was said that the second highest alert level was in place.

Last year, forest fires in Greece, some of which raged for weeks, caused extensive damage. The south of the tourist island of Rhodes was among those affected. Hotels and holiday resorts there had to be evacuated and around 20,000 holidaymakers and locals had to be brought to safety. Huge areas also burned down in the Dadia National Park in the northeast of the country. Experts assume that because of climate change, the “forest fire season” starts earlier every year – so far it only started on May 1st.

dpa

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