Fires: 52 new fires – increasing fire danger in coming days

Amid extreme temperatures in the country on the back of a second heat wave, alarm bells were sounded for fresh fires in the coming days, the fire department on Friday (21.07.23) in its latest update on the fires.

In particular, the spokesman of the fire department, Vasilis Vatrakogiannis, said that there were 52 new fires in the country. Burning and scattered active fires are being tackled by ground and air forces in western Attica. Active front on the massif Rhodes in the center of the island. Laconia has had many eruptions, and they have created fire fronts on several occasions.

Following this, Mr. Vadragogiannis stressed that the fire that broke out this afternoon near Egnatia Street, at the height of the Nabi Elias settlement in Thessaloniki, has been brought under control. There, as he said, 50 firefighters and 12 vehicles with 3 groups of infantry units are operating there, including 10 firefighters with 2 vehicles and 2 helicopters from Bulgaria.

Mr. As Vatragogiannis said, along with European firefighters deployed through the pre-installation program of the Union’s Civil Protection Mechanism, additional forces from Romania, Poland, Slovakia and Bulgaria are helping to put out the fire, while 2 aircraft from Italy and 2 aircraft from France are fighting.

Also, on a bilateral basis, Israel provides 2 aircraft and Jordan 4 helicopters.

Mr. Vatrakogiannis said that in the coming days, the situation will become even more difficult due to extremely high temperatures.