‘No energetic entrance, solely scattered hotspots’, minister says
The Greek minister for local weather disaster and civil safety, Vassilis Kikilias, has stated that “forty hours after the extremely dangerous wildfire broke out in Varnava, we can now say that there is no active front, only scattered hotspots.”
He added:
Throughout these 40 hours, 702 firefighters, supported by 27 forest commando groups, 199 autos, and 35 aerial items—together with 17 plane and 18 helicopters, three of which had been used for coordination—fought the hearth in northeastern Attica with superhuman effort.
Volunteers, the Police, the Military, Forest Service and Forestry Employees, the Authority of Attica Area, and Municipalities, with the help of the 112 emergency service, evacuated and saved 45 areas.
Key occasions
Warmth aggravated by carbon air pollution killed 50,000 in Europe final yr – examine
Ajit Niranjan
Scorching climate infected by carbon air pollution killed almost 50,000 individuals in Europe final yr, with the continent warming at a a lot quicker fee than different elements of the world, analysis has discovered.
The findings come as wildfires tore by forests outdoors Athens, as France issued extreme warmth warnings for big swathes of the nation, and the UK baked by what the Met Workplace expects can be its hottest day of the yr.
Docs name warmth a “silent killer” as a result of it claims way more lives than most individuals realise. The devastating mortality fee in 2023 would have been 80% larger if individuals had not tailored to rising temperatures over the previous 20 years, in accordance with the examine revealed in Nature Drugs.
Elisa Gallo, an environmental epidemiologist at ISGlobal and lead creator of the examine, stated the outcomes confirmed that efforts taken to adapt societies to heatwaves had been efficient.
“But the number of heat-related deaths is still too high,” she warned. “Europe is warming at twice the rate of the global average – we can’t rest on our laurels.”
Firefighters have been battling scattered fires right now.
Six water-dropping planes and 6 helicopters took off at first mild, the Greek hearth division stated, the Related Press reported.
They’re backing up the tons of of firefighters on the bottom.
The fireplace division stated the hearth now not had any advancing fronts and firefighters had been concentrating their efforts on extinguishing the flames in slow-burning areas, the AP reported.
Authorities are racing to extinguish as a lot of the blaze as attainable earlier than winds decide up once more.
Right here’s an summary of the scenario in southeastern Europe and the EU’s response.
The Greek overseas ministry has thanked companions for his or her help in combating the wildfires.
Extra international locations set to offer help in battling wildfires
In his replace, Colonel Vassilios Vathrakogiannis stated “the number of countries that have responded to our country’s request for assistance through the European Civil Protection Mechanism has increased.”
Along with France, Italy, and the Czech Republic, three extra international locations have agreed to offer help:
• Serbia will ship one helicopter together with 35 firefighters and 10 autos.
• Romania will ship 44 firefighters with 4 water tankers.
• Turkey will ship two plane.Additionally it is famous that France, along with the helicopter, will ship 200 firefighters with 28 water tankers.
Within the early hours of this morning, Greek authorities issued one other evacuation order.
Wildfire continues to burn in Athens suburbs
Greek emergency companies are persevering with to battle wildfires close to Athens, with one particular person confirmed lifeless and evacuation orders in impact for some areas.
Authorities stated nevertheless that there are indicators of enchancment, with lighter winds and a number of international locations pledging to ship firefighters, water tankers and plane.
However, officers have urged everybody to remain alert.
In a night replace, Fireplace Colonel Vassilios Vathrakogiannis stated:
The wildfire that broke out yesterday in Varnava and unfold to northeastern Attica is exhibiting indicators of enchancment.
Floor forces stay sturdy. Whereas there isn’t a longer an energetic hearth entrance, there are nonetheless many energetic hotspots, primarily within the wider space of Mount Penteli and Lake Marathon.
