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Nature and EnvironmentGreece

Greece: New blaze breaks out as older ones wind down

August 13, 2021

A new fire broke out on the island of Evia, just hours after officials said the blazes were now under control. Public anger has been growing at the government's response.

https://p.dw.com/p/3ywIr
Local youths and volunteers support firefighters during a wildfire in northern Evia
The island of Evia has been plagued by devastating wildfires for over a weekImage: ANGELOS TZORTZINIS/AFP

Greece’s fire department sent 23 firefighters, four water-dropping aircraft and six helicopters to battle a new blaze on the island of Evia on Friday, just hours after authorities had said that the country's worst natural disaster in decades was under control.

A larger fire that broke out on the island’s north ten days ago scorched homes and businesses.

A Greek Orthodox chapel is seen at a burnt forest after a wildfire in Pefki village on Evia island.
The fires have destroyed homes, businesses and forests across Greece.Image: Petros Karadjias/AP Photo/picture alliance

The news of a fresh wildfire came after a spokesman for the country’s fire department told the AFP news agency that there was no longer "any major active front" in the fight against the flames.

Emergency crews had been put on standby in case any new flare-ups occurred, according to Greece’s civil protection agency.

The blazes also hit Arcadia and the outskirts of the capital, Athens.

The prolonged wildfires first started spreading in Greece from late July and intensified last week during the worst heatwave for more than 30 years.

Greek PM pledges recovery funds

Public anger has been growing at the government’s response, forcing Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Thursday to defend his handling of the emergency efforts.

Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis speaks to the media
Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis has faced accusations that the country was under-prepared for the fires.Image: Hazem Turkia/AA/picture alliance

Mitsotakis vowed that "millions of euros" of recovery funds would be paid out soon to those affected.

He also appointed a new deputy minister, Christos Triantopoulos, who will be in charge of recovery from natural disasters.

Triantopoulos will also oversee the compensation of businesses and families hard hit by recent blazes. 

Ministers have come under fire from locals who have seen agricultural products and forests wiped out.

They have been calling for top public safety officials to quit, who insisted just two months ago the country was well-prepared.

Mitsotakis has said that Greece has battled 600 blazes over the past week, some of them "mega fires."

But he admitted: "It seemed that this particular phenomenon exceeded our capabilities and the preparations put in place.'" 

Tourism arrivals higher than expected

Better news came on Friday when Greek Finance Minister Christos Staikouras said that tourism arrivals had been higher than expected.

He said visitors have hit 70% of their pre-pandemic levels, while the country expected less than half.

Turkey, Spain and Algeria have also suffered from raging wildfires.

Their outbreak has been largely blamed on climate change and the rise in global temperatures.

jf/dj (AFP, Reuters)