Greece receives EU aid to combat devastating wildfires
Czech firefighters are already on the ground, while Italian aircraft are expected to arrive later on Sunday.
The fires remain active in multiple regions, including the Peloponnese area west of Athens, as well as the islands of Evia and Kythera.
Firefighting aircraft resumed operations at dawn, targeting the most critical areas.
While forecasters predict calmer winds in most regions, Kythera remains under threat due to persistent strong winds.
Evacuation alerts were issued early Sunday for residents of Kythera as flames spread uncontrollably.
'Houses, beehives, olive trees have been burnt,' said Giorgos Komninos, deputy mayor of Kythera.
'A monastery is in direct danger right now.'
He confirmed that half the island has already been scorched.
Firefighters, supported by three helicopters and two aircraft, are battling the Kythera blaze, which began Saturday morning and forced the evacuation of a popular tourist beach.
Greece formally requested EU assistance, with Italian aircraft en route and Czech units already deployed.
Eleven regions in Greece remain at very high risk of wildfires.
Firefighters are also working in the Peloponnese and Evia, where overnight flare-ups destroyed vast forest areas and killed thousands of farm animals.
On Crete, fires that erupted Saturday destroyed four houses and a church before being largely contained.
A prolonged heatwave has exacerbated conditions, with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius in many areas.
Relief is expected from Monday as temperatures begin to drop. – AFP
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
6 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Turkiye evacuates thousands as firefighters battle wildfires
ANKARA: Firefighters battled wildfires across Turkiye on Sunday amid a searing Mediterranean heatwave, with authorities evacuating more than 3,600 people from settlements in two provinces. Wildfires in the southern provinces of Mersin and Antalya as well as the central province of Usak were largely brought under control, but blazes in the northwestern province of Bursa and the northern province of Karabuk were still burning, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli told reporters. A wildfire broke out in a forested area between the Gursu and Kestel districts of Bursa, home to much of Turkiye's auto industry, on Saturday. Part of a motorway connecting Istanbul with the western city of Izmir was briefly closed on Saturday night due to the fire. Huge flames engulfed trees in areas close to homes in Bursa as smoke covered the sky over the city, footage showed. Some 1,765 people in Bursa's Kestel district were evacuated, Yumakli said, adding that 2,000 firefighters were struggling to battle the wildfire in the area with the help of six firefighting planes and four helicopters. In the northern province of Karabuk, where a large wildfire has been burning for five days, 1,839 people in 19 villages were evacuated, Yumakli said. Three planes and 16 helicopters are tackling the blazes in the area amid difficult conditions, he added. "We are going through risky times. This does not seem likely to end in two or three days," Yumakli said, referring to the heatwave. Temperatures in several regions in Turkiye were forecast to reach over 40 degrees Celsius on Sunday, 6 to 12 degrees above seasonal norms, Turkiye's meteorological service said, as thermometers hit 50 degrees Celsius in the country's southeast on Saturday for the first time in recorded history.
The Star
7 hours ago
- The Star
Turkey evacuates thousands as firefighters battle wildfires
People stand next to smoke rising from the wildfire in the Aksu district of Antalya, a Mediterranean city in southern Turkey, July 25, 2025. REUTERS/Kaan Soyturk TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY ANKARA (Reuters) -Firefighters battled wildfires across Turkey on Sunday amid a searing Mediterranean heat-wave, with authorities evacuating more than 3,600 people from settlements in two provinces. Wildfires in the southern provinces of Mersin and Antalya as well as the central province of Usak were largely brought under control, but blazes in the northwestern province of Bursa and the northern province of Karabuk were still burning, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli told reporters. A wildfire broke out in a forested area between the Gursu and Kestel districts of Bursa, home to much of Turkey's auto industry, on Saturday. Part of a highway connecting Istanbul with the western city of Izmir was briefly closed on Saturday night due to the fire. Huge flames engulfed trees in areas close to homes in Bursa as smoke covered the sky over the city, footage showed. Some 1,765 people in Bursa's Kestel district were evacuated, Yumakli said, adding that 2,000 firefighters were struggling to battle the wildfire in the area with the help of six firefighting planes and four helicopters. In the northern province of Karabuk, where a large wildfire has been burning for five days, 1,839 people in 19 villages were evacuated, Yumakli said. Three planes and 16 helicopters are tackling the blazes in the area amid difficult conditions, he added. "We are going through risky times. This does not seem likely to end in two or three days," Yumakli said, referring to the heat-wave. Temperatures in several regions in Turkey were forecast to reach over 40 degrees Celsius on Sunday, 6 to 12 degrees above seasonal norms, Turkey's meteorological service said, as thermometers hit 50 degrees Celsius in the country's southeast on Saturday for the first time in recorded history. (Reporting by Huseyin Hayatsever; editing by Giles Elgood)
The Sun
12 hours ago
- The Sun
Greece receives EU aid to combat devastating wildfires
ATHENS: Greece continues to fight devastating wildfires for a second day, with international assistance from the European Union now aiding local firefighting efforts. Czech firefighters are already on the ground, while Italian aircraft are expected to arrive later on Sunday. The fires remain active in multiple regions, including the Peloponnese area west of Athens, as well as the islands of Evia and Kythera. Firefighting aircraft resumed operations at dawn, targeting the most critical areas. While forecasters predict calmer winds in most regions, Kythera remains under threat due to persistent strong winds. Evacuation alerts were issued early Sunday for residents of Kythera as flames spread uncontrollably. 'Houses, beehives, olive trees have been burnt,' said Giorgos Komninos, deputy mayor of Kythera. 'A monastery is in direct danger right now.' He confirmed that half the island has already been scorched. Firefighters, supported by three helicopters and two aircraft, are battling the Kythera blaze, which began Saturday morning and forced the evacuation of a popular tourist beach. Greece formally requested EU assistance, with Italian aircraft en route and Czech units already deployed. Eleven regions in Greece remain at very high risk of wildfires. Firefighters are also working in the Peloponnese and Evia, where overnight flare-ups destroyed vast forest areas and killed thousands of farm animals. On Crete, fires that erupted Saturday destroyed four houses and a church before being largely contained. A prolonged heatwave has exacerbated conditions, with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius in many areas. Relief is expected from Monday as temperatures begin to drop. – AFP
