BRUSSELS, Aug 10 (NNN-AGENCIES) — EU countries are stepping up their help to Greece to fight forest fires devastating its mainland and some islands, the European Commission said as it coordinated the assistance.
There are now nine planes, 1,000 firefighters and 200 vehicles deployed by European Union states, a statement said.
France, Germany, Poland, Austria and Slovakia added resources and were sending extra fire fighting units, adding to ones already in Greece from France and other EU nations.
In addition, EU help has gone to battle fires that are also burning in Italy as well as in neighbouring non-EU countries North Macedonia, Albania and Turkey, the commission said.
“We are mobilising one of Europe’s biggest ever common firefighting operations as multiple fires affect several countries simultaneously,” the EU commission for crisis management, Janez Lenarcic, said.
“I am very thankful to all the countries who have offered help for their tangible solidarity. Our thoughts are with all those affected and with the first responders who are risking their lives to battle the fires.”
Wildfires are continuing to rip through the Greek island of Evia with strong winds driving flames towards villages.
More than 2,000 people have already been evacuated from the island, many of those by ferry.
A number of wildfires have struck the country in recent days. One blaze in the northern suburb of Athens is said to have subsided.
Greece is experiencing its most severe heatwave in 30 years in which temperatures have spiked to 45C (113F).
Heatwaves such as this are becoming more likely and more extreme because of human-induced climate change. The subsequent hot, dry weather is likely to fuel wildfires.
On Evia, two fire fronts have destroyed thousands of hectares of land, along with a number of houses and businesses.
Images from the island on Sunday show more people being evacuated including elderly people who were pictured being carried onto ferries.
With no sign of the fire subsiding, residents and officials are calling for more help.
Giannis Kontzias, mayor of the municipality of Istiaia in the northern part of Evia told local news: “It’s already too late, the area has been destroyed.”
He appealed for more help from water-bombing planes and helicopters.
But Civil Protection Chief Nikos Hardalias said water-bombing planes faced a number of difficulties including poor visibility caused by the fires.
A number of countries have responded to Greece’s call for help including France, Germany and the UK.
Late on Sunday, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed his “heartfelt gratitude” to countries that had sent assistance.
“We thank you for standing by Greece during these trying times,” he wrote on Twitter.
Elsewhere in Greece, fires in the Peloponnese region are said to be stable and fires in the northern Athens suburb have subsided.
“The situation in Attica (which encompasses Athens) is better but we are afraid of the danger of flare-ups,” Hardalias said.
The military are patrolling the area amid concerns that the fire could re-start.
Turkey is also battling a series of wildfires, which have been labelled the worst in the country’s history.
Eight people have died and thousands have been forced to flee their homes.
The country’s Agriculture and Forestry Minister Pakdemirli said on Saturday that 217 fires had been contained and six were said to be ongoing. — NNN-AGENCIES
