Catastrophe of Historic Proportions: Uncontrollable Wildfires Devastate Greece
For weeks, firefighters in Greece have been battling wildfires across the country. The region northeast of the port city of Alexandroupolis, near the Turkish border, has been severely affected. According to the European Commission, the fires there are the largest in the history of the European Union. More than 73,000 hectares have already been burned, announced Janez Lenarcic, the Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management. This corresponds to an area of 730 square kilometers – nearly the size of Hamburg.
Although the wind has slightly subsided, making firefighting efforts somewhat easier, the largest fire fronts are still too extensive to be easily extinguished. Fires continue to rage in the Dadia National Park, around the city of Alexandroupolis, and further west, as well as in the northwest of Athens and other parts of the country. Authorities take action against arsonists
Meanwhile, it is becoming increasingly clear that many of the fires are the result of deliberate arson. During a crisis meeting of the civil protection authorities, Greek Minister of Civil Protection Vassilis Kikilias expressed his disbelief, stating, “What is happening here is not only unprecedented but obscene and criminal.” He directly addressed the arsonists, saying, “You are committing a crime against the country. You will not be spared; we will find you, and you will be held accountable by the justice system.”
Kikilias specifically referred to the fires at the foot of Mount Parnitha, northwest of Athens. On Thursday, a total of nine arson attacks were carried out at various locations from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm. The minister even listed the new fire sites with precise times. He emphasized that the perpetrators endangered forests, property, and, above all, human lives. According to firefighter spokesperson Giannis Artopoios, 60 firefighters have been injured during extinguishing operations in recent days. Suspected arsonists arrested
Police and the secret service, EYP, have launched investigations. However, apprehending suspected arsonists is difficult and rarely successful. Fires are usually set in remote and inaccessible areas. By the time the fires gain momentum, the perpetrators are long gone. Nevertheless, a total of four suspected arsonists were arrested on Thursday, partly due to eyewitness accounts and partly because they were found to be carrying materials suitable for arson during inspections, including spray cans.
The motives behind these acts remain unknown according to Greek media reports. Nikos Xagoraris, the Deputy Mayor of the municipality of Acharnes, called for stricter punishments for arson on ERT television, saying, “This cannot continue; the whole country has been burning.”
Currently, thousands of people are fighting the numerous fire fronts across the country. In addition to Greek forces, firefighters and pilots with firefighting aircraft from Germany, Albania, France, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Sweden, and Cyprus are also involved. Meteorologists predict hot and dry weather until Friday, indicating that the fire risk will persist at least until the end of the week. Criticism of crisis management
In the Menidi district, at the foot of Mount Parnitha, where many residents have lost their homes due to the flames, there is growing frustration over the government’s failure to adequately protect people’s property. “Fires break out every year; the authorities must finally take action,” said 32-year-old mechanic Nikos Lazarou to the AFP news agency.
In 2021, a large forest fire ravaged the Parnitha mountain, destroying part of the national park. The opposition has also accused the Greek government of mismanagement. “We are experiencing days of total collapse,” said Stergios Kalpakis, spokesperson for the opposition Syriza party, on local radio station Sto Kokkino.