Fire in Greece: Endless test of the island of Evia

The besieged villages, charred pine forests and houses were destroyed: on Tuesday, August 10, the Greek island of Yupoya presented a ruined scene. Hundreds of firefighters and volunteers were still mobilized to try to stop the most devastating progress of the fire that had hit Greece.

According to the European Information Agency for Wildfires (EFFIS), this vast mountainous and wooded island, 200 km from Athens, burns for eight days, reducing the smoke to 49,700 hectares. In all, since July 29, 93,700 hectares of Greece have been devastated by the worst heat wave in three decades, beginning in August.

A complete record, as an average of 2,300 hectares were burned between 2008 and 2020. In the few days that the thermometer exceeded 40 degrees in many places, 586 fires spread. Deputy Minister of Civil Defense Nicos Hartalias said.

According to the Greek Coast Guard, more than 3,000 people were evacuated by sea from the large island of Yupoya early on.

And the conflict is not over: if the authorities had determined it “The situation is much better” On Tuesday, firefighters, assisted by several volunteers in T-shirts and often without masks or helmets, fought to prevent a fire in the city of Istia, home to 7,000 people. “Citizens and firefighters join forces and fight with all their heart and soul.”, City mayor Ioannis Kontgias said on his Facebook page.

In the northern part of the island, the numbers have been strengthened and increased to 870 firefighters, many from neighboring countries such as Cyprus, Slovakia and Poland, according to Greek fire services. Seventeen water bomb helicopters and eight aircraft, including three French Canadians, were mobilized.

But for some residents, the mobilization of Greek forces was not enough. An evacuation order was issued at noon on Tuesday in the coastal village of Asminio, north of the island, after it was threatened by fires. “Where do we want to go?”A sex child screams as he refuses to leave campus under the ballet of helicopters. In the streets, invaded by dozens of people, the tone rises: “Look, they do the work”, Dmitry was furious, pointing to the Slovakian fire truck. “Where are our people? We are telling them to come, no one is coming.”.

Anger shared by many local officials and political opponents, they point to unresponsiveness and the use of air resources. Prime Minister Kyrios Mitsodakis is on his side “Apologies for possible mistakes”. “We did everything man-made, but in many cases it was not enough.”, He said Monday night at a television address.

Facing a “Natural Disasters at Unprecedented Rates”He announced the release of a global envelope of மில்லியன் 500 million, which includes emergency assistance to residents affected by the fire and a reconstruction plan for disaster areas.

Across the country, three people died in the fire, while entire villages were evacuated before houses were leveled. On the Beloponnese side, an area affected by the fire, the fire started again, ordering authorities to evacuate a dozen small villages in the Cordinia region.

Police said 16 people were arrested on suspicion of arson or negligent arson. Neighboring Turkey also did not escape the violent fire, which killed eight people off the coast of Turkey, but now appears to be out of the woods.