Serifos, Greece - A rapidly spreading wildfire fueled by strong winds is threatening the Greek island of Serifos. The fire, which ignited around 6 p.m. local time on Saturday, has already scorched a 5-mile front, primarily consisting of low-lying vegetation.
Authorities have been forced to issue emergency evacuation orders via the EU-wide emergency number, 112, urging residents of six localities to seek safety in Chora, the island's main settlement.
Serifos Mayor, Konstantinos Revithis, described the situation as "out of control," noting that the strong winds have grounded firefighting aircraft, further hampering efforts to contain the blaze. Aerial firefighting efforts are also restricted after dark.
Three fire engines are expected to arrive from the neighboring island of Syros shortly before midnight, offering much-needed reinforcements to the ground firefighting teams battling the inferno throughout the night.
Greek Fire Service spokesman, Vassilis Vathrakogiannis, confirmed the challenging nature of the fire, emphasizing the critical role of ground crews in combating the blaze.
Serifos, a popular tourist destination located 92 nautical miles from Piraeus, sees its usual population of 1,241 swell significantly during the summer months.
Wildfires are a frequent occurrence in the Mediterranean, but recent years have seen them become increasingly destructive. This alarming trend coincides with hotter, drier, and windier summers, a phenomenon attributed to climate change.
Last summer's deadly blazes and Greece's warmest winter on record spurred the nation to adopt a new firefighting doctrine. This approach prioritizes rapid response, deploying an additional fire truck to every new fire, expediting air support, and implementing forest clearing measures.
Despite these efforts, a recent large fire ravaged a significant portion of Mount Parnitha's nature reserve, a vital habitat for pine and fir trees.
