Less than 48 hour after 13 crewmembers, including the skipper, of a mega-yacht from where fireworks blamed for the destruction of 30 hectares of the only forestland on the isle of Hydra were allegedly launched, Mega Channel reported that unknown perpetrators also used more fireworks near Mt. Parnitha on Friday evening.
The latter is one of a handful of peaks that overlook the greater Athens-Piraeus area, and where devastating wildfires over the past decades have ravaged its woodlands.
According to Mega, the fireworks launched in the wider Parnitha vicinity came on the same evening as the Hydra blaze, and very close to where a wildfire three years ago destroyed forestland, residences and other property.
The latest egregious example of irresponsible behavior comes as roughly half of Greece remains in high alert due to the risk for wildfires, an annual and seasonal scourge in the east Mediterranean country. Dry and hot conditions along with strong winds have dramatically raised the risk factor this month for south-central Greece, the Peloponnese and several islands, including large Evia Island.
Wind speeds reached up to 9 on the Beaufort scale on the evening that the fireworks were launched, according to Mega.
Authorities have began an investigation into the incident, with local residents telling television reporters that more fireworks are launched frequently in the area, mostly on weekends.
