Heavy lightning ignited two wildfires on the Greek island of Thassos on Wednesday, just a day after firefighters subdued blazes fuelled by strong winds on two other islands.
Over 32 firefighters, aided by 13 fire engines, one aircraft, and two helicopters, are battling the fires on two fronts in the northern Aegean Sea, approximately 306 km north of Athens. Reinforcements from the nearby city of Kavala are expected to join the effort.
Scientists attribute the increasing frequency and severity of wildfires in Greece to climate change, which has also disrupted summer tourism. Although rainfall is usually welcome in dry regions, the lightning that accompanied the recent storms exacerbated the situation on Thassos.
Greece’s civil protection service has forecast more extreme weather, including storms with frequent lightning and hail, particularly affecting central and northern Greece. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has warned of a perilous wildfire season due to prolonged drought and unusually high winds.
Last year, wildfires claimed 20 lives in northern Greece and forced 19,000 people to evacuate the island of Rhodes. In response to the rising threat, Greece is increasingly deploying drones to detect fires early. Additionally, 240 firefighters from Bulgaria, Malta, Moldova, and Romania will bolster Greece’s firefighting efforts from July through September, according to the civil protection ministry.
(Source: Reuters)