Huge forest and bush fires have been raging in different places in Greece for days. Even in places quite far from the fires, the consequences can be felt – in the form of smoke in the air.
Greece continues to fight against the forest and bush fires that have been raging for days. The city of Alexandroupolis and the Dadia National Park in the north-east of the country are particularly affected, but the area around the capital Athens and the island of Euboea are also affected. Strong winds keep fanning the flames.
Biting clouds of smoke have settled over large parts of the country and have led to a massive deterioration in air quality. According to a report in the daily newspaper “Kathimerini”, up to 80 percent of the country was covered by clouds of smoke.
Because the fire brigade is having great difficulty bringing the flames under control, more and more help is coming from abroad – including Germany.
air conditions in part hazardous to health
“It’s one of the most impressive smoke transports we’ve seen in recent years,” said Athens National Observatory director Kostas Lagouvardos. According to the Greek weather service, the clouds of smoke in the north-eastern Dadia National Park on Tuesday moved more than 950 kilometers to the islands in the Ionian Sea.
In the meantime, worrying levels of fine dust have been measured in the hard-hit city of Alexandroupolis: Specifically, 106 micrograms of fine dust in the size category PM2.5 (diameter less than 2.5 micrometers) per cubic meter of air.
Such small particles are considered harmful and cause strokes, cancer and respiratory diseases. They can sometimes penetrate into the alveoli and the bloodstream. Therefore, the Greek Association of Pneumologists recommends citizens to stay indoors as much as possible and to keep windows and doors closed.
At times, an area of 110,000 square kilometers is said to have been covered by the smoke, which would correspond to around 80 percent of the country.
German fire-fighting planes help near Athens
In and around Athens, too, there is no sign of relaxation in sight. In the nearby Parnitha National Park, the fire brigade has been fighting the fires since night with 65 fire engines, seven fire engines and eight helicopters.
ARD correspondent Moritz Pompl shared footage of Mount Parnitha burning on Twitter follower X. The national park of the same name is the green lung of Athens and is located northwest of the Greek capital.
Arson investigation
After the death of several people in the Dadia National Park, the public prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation into arson, reports the Greek broadcaster ERT. “Investigate the causes of these fires, including any organized criminal activity,” the broadcaster quoted the order of the chief prosecutor Georgia Adeilini in a letter to the responsible prosecutors of Evros.
On Tuesday, the fire brigade discovered the bodies of migrants on the Greek side of the Evros border river with Turkey, who were believed to have been trapped by the flames of a large fire and died. Two minors are said to have been among them. The authorities suspect arson as the cause of the numerous major fires.
15 major flame fronts – western Turkey also affected
In total, there are at least 15 major fronts in Greece.
And also in western Turkey’s Canakkale, which is not far from the border with Greece, emergency services are fighting a forest fire for the second day in a row. Several villages had already been evacuated on Tuesday. According to official information, more than 1,250 people had to be brought to safety.
Although according to the Greek weather service there should be less wind in the coming days, the risk of forest fires remains high to very high in many parts of the country.