UPD – 15.30
The European Union has dispatched water-dropping aircraft to Greece to aid in the battle against a wildfire that is still raging along the northern coast of Peloponnese, after Greek authorities officially requested support via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.
Specifically, three helicopters from the rescEU unit, from Croatia and Italy, will assist in the efforts by hundreds of local firefighters, and dozens of other land and aerial means already operating along the front, near and around the coastal town of Xylokastro.
The European Commission continues to monitor the fire risk forecast and is ready to mobilize more assistance if needed, as it emphasizes. The Commission notes that during the summer wildfire season, Greece requested assistance through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism twice, receiving 5 firefighting planes, and 2 helicopters, as well as 7 ground teams, 348 firefighters, and 115 vehicles. Greece also hosted a pre-positioning program, in which firefighters and vehicles were deployed in Greece for several weeks.
According to the mayor of Xylokatro, the fire has completely destroyed crops while and houses have also been burned. However, it is estimated that a clear picture of the extent of the damage will only emerge after the fire is extinguished when the assessment of the affected areas will begin, as reported by Greek public broadcaster ERT.
The Corinth wildfire continues to rage, as firefighters, volunteers, and residents in the coastal town of Xylokastro, and surrounding settlements of the Corinth prefecture, in the Peloponnese, faced yet another difficult night as the fire that broke out on Sunday morning is still burning uncontrollably, fueled by strong winds.
The massive fire has resulted in two men losing their lives, dozens of acres of land burning and homes being reduced to aches, while, according to reports, two firefighters were also injured.
The victims, aged 35 and 40, lost their lives when they were overtaken by flames on a roadway. They had rode their motorcycles toward the blaze in an attempt to reach a friend’s sheep pen, hoping to help him save his livestock from the advancing fire.
The fire has moved from the village of Pyrgos to Lygia in Xylokastro, where its intensity has lessened, though multiple scattered hotspots continue to burn. It has reached Trikala in Corinth and is burning in a difficult-to-access area in Xanthochori and Sofiana.
A series of messages via the 112 emergency line were sent to residents in nearby settlements, advising them to evacuate.
The Patras-Athens tollway was closed in both directions from the Lykoporia junction to the Derveni junction, until early this morning. According to a police announcement, traffic was being redirected to the old national road.
The deputy spokesperson for the fire brigade, spoke to MEGA channel about the situation at the wildfire front,with questions raised about the initial management of the blaze.
“This summer was quite difficult. These are the results. We’ve had a lot of drought, and now fires can easily spread. When the fire started, we had winds of 7-8 on the Beaufort scale, and the area didn’t have the moisture it usually has,” he said.
