Mt. Parnitha fire has subsided, but firefighting efforts will continue overnight

The wildfire at Mt. Parnitha north of Athens has subsided, according to Civil Protection on Wednesday night, without affecting the core of the National Forest.

The fire first broke out on Tuesday morning in the area of Fili, west of Athens, on Parnitha’s foothills.

Seven Air Tractor water-bombers and several helicopters were dealing with the fire until sunset, dropping decelerant liquid.

Firefighting operations will continue on the ground throughout Wednesday night to prevent the rekindling of fire pockets, it was noted.

Fire Brigade: 55 fires broke out on Wed. nationwide; a battle to control Mt. Parnitha, Evros fires

Φωτογραφία – Αρχείου

Greek firefighting forces were dealing with 99 wildfires nationwide on Wednesday, of which 55 broke out in the last 24 hours, said the Fire Brigade’s spokesperson Yiannis Artopios on Wednesday evening.

At the ongoing fire in Attica, which broke out in Fyli on Tuesday and spread to Mt. Parnitha, then into the southern area of National Forest area north of Athens, some 226 firefighters with 69 fire engines and 11 ground teams are battling the blaze, while 12 water-bombers and 14 helicopters assisted until sunset. Also assisting are the Armed Forces and the Greek police – who also assisted in the fires elsewhere – as well as local government water trucks and machinery.

Strong firefighting forces are also operating at wildfires in Alexandroupolis, Dadia and Rodopi, all in northeastern Greece, where multiple rekindlkings occured and several villages have been evacuated. A total of 17 airplanes and 8 helicopters operated until sunset, he noted.

Concerning the 18 migrants who died in the broader area of Avanta – near the Dadia wildfire – on Tuesday, Artopios said that the Fire Brigade has posted on its website, operational guidelines from the Hellenic Disaster Victims Identification Team (DVI). The Greek DVI team is can also be reached by anyone with information that might help with the identification process on +30-213-1386000, while documents concerning the victims can be sent via whatsAPP on +30-6944-471742 and also at [email protected].

Two separate fires broke out on Wednesday afternoon in Dokos, northeastern of Chalkida, on Evia. Firefighters are working with volunteers on that.

One fire that has subsided is the one in Iliki in Boeotia, and another Moschopodi in Thiva which has been contained, it was added.

Another four notable fires that are being dealt with on Wednesday are the ones in Distomo, Tarsos and Prodromos in western Boeotia, and in Skioessa in Achaia prefecture.

Meanwhile, 140 people have been arrested for arson in fields and forests, Artopios noted, of whom 117 were negligent and 23 on suspicions of arson.