Xylokastro, Greece – A massive wildfire tearing through eastern Corinthia, near Xylokastro, has grown to a staggering 32 km in length and continues to burn out of control, according to officials. The blaze, which ignited on Sunday morning, has already claimed the lives of two people.
Fueled by powerful winds reaching up to force 8, the fire rapidly spread through the mountainous terrain of the Evrostini-Xylokastro municipality. Fire service spokesperson Vasilis Vathrakogiannis described the situation as “a large perimeter with multiple fronts.”
“It seems unlikely that we will be able to contain the fire today,” Vathrakogiannis told Kathimerini on Monday. “We can revisit that possibility tomorrow.”
Nikos Lavranos, president of the Panhellenic Federation of Fire Service Employees, called it “one of the most difficult fires we have faced this season,” emphasizing the vast 32 km front, even though it is not continuous.
To combat the inferno, authorities have mobilized a massive firefighting force consisting of 350 firefighters, 110 vehicles, and 18 aircraft. Reinforcements, including 13 vehicles, arrived Monday afternoon from the Western Macedonia region.
The fire has forced the evacuation of six villages. Tragically, two individuals lost their lives to the blaze, while two firefighters suffered minor injuries during the firefighting efforts.
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