Latest news with #Attica
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Greece battles wildfires, evacuating residents near Athens
Greece is battling five major wildfires across the country, with officials evacuating residents in a hard-hit region just 30km (18.6 miles) north of Athens. The smell of burning wood carried as far as central Athens, as Greece requested European Union assistance to fight the spreading blaze. The ongoing emergency comes amid a severe heatwave. Temperatures are forecast to reach up to 44C on Sunday, with the extreme heat expected to persist through most of the weekend. "We have injured firefighters, human lives were put at risk, properties have been burned, and forest areas have been destroyed," Greece's Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Giannis Kefalogiannis said. High winds and scorching temperatures have fanned the flames. Greece has formally requested assistance from the EU Civil Protection Mechanism for six additional firefighting aircrafts. In Attica, the region where Athens is, a fire that started in Afidnes on Saturday spread rapidly through Drosopigi, Kryoneri and Agios Stefanos, forcing residents to flee. While the fire service says the main front has been contained, scattered hotspots continue to burn. More than 200 firefighters, supported by helicopters and water-bombing aircraft, are still operating in the area. On the island of Evia, officials said a second blaze near Pissona had got "out of control", moving quickly towards Afrati. Several villages, including Pournos and Mistros, have been left without electricity after flames destroyed pylons and power lines. Six firefighters have so far been taken to hospital with burns and smoke inhalation as 115 personnel continue to battle the flames. "The destruction is incalculable," said Dirfyon-Messapion mayor Giorgos Psathas. In Kythira, a third wildfire is engulfing a large part of the island, with residents describing scenes of "total destruction". Several settlements have been evacuated, and the coastguard, assisted by private boats, rescued 139 people from Limnionas beach, transporting them safely to Kapsali port. In Messinia, a fourth wildfire broke out in the Polithea area of Trifylia on Saturday morning and intensified later in the day. Five emergency alerts have been sent via Greece's 112 system urging people to leave multiple villages. Strong winds are making firefighting efforts difficult, with 84 firefighters, 30 vehicles and seven aircraft tackling the blaze. Meanwhile, in Crete's Chania region, a fifth wildfire is raging in Temenia. The fire started in two separate spots and quickly spread, destroying at least two homes. Officials said several regions remained under further fire threats, including the Ionian Islands, Western Greece, the Peloponnese, Central Greece, Attica, Epirus, Western Macedonia (Florina, Kastoria, Kozani), Eastern Macedonia and Thrace (Evros), Thessaly (Magnesia, Larisa, Trikala), the South Aegean (Rhodes) and Crete. Last month, fires on Greece's fifth-biggest island Chios, in the northern Aegean, destroyed 4,700 hectares (11,600 acres) of land. Early July, a wildfire on the island of Crete forced the evacuation of 5,000 tourists.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Greek residents defend homes as wildfire tears through village
STORY: :: Residents stay to defend their homes as wildfire tears through a Greek village :: Kryoneri, Greece :: July 26, 2025 :: Maria Papadomanolaki, Local resident "At this moment, if we had left our house, it would have burned completely. Like the other time, when we left because we were scared. Today we stayed, because in seconds the fire was to our right, to our left, all around us, it surrounded us. And we were shouting to put the fire out, our house is burning, you understand? We would have been left without a home. We must be grateful to the volunteers and the fire service because they rushed immediately, I can't say otherwise. But we are very lucky." Residents of nearby village Kryoneri were instructed by authorities to leave towards Athens. Helicopters were dropping water in the area where factories with flammable material are located, and 145 firefighters battled the flames, assisted with 44 vehicles, 7 helicopters and ten aircrafts. According to information from the Greek ambulance services, five people have been taken to hospitals from the fire front in Attica so far.
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Helma marks 40 years in business and 5-year Hitachi partnership
Helma SA is celebrating two significant milestones in 2025: its 40th anniversary and five years as the official dealer for Hitachi Construction Machinery (Europe) NV (HCME) in Greece. According to a company press release, since joining the HCME dealer network in 2020, Helma has played 'a vital part' in increasing the visibility of the Hitachi brand in Greece. The company has also contributed to the growth of the Hitachi Premium Rental programme in the country, most recently supplying ten ZX350-7 medium excavators on a rental contract. Describing the Greek market's response to the brand, Helma CEO Iris Tsouma said, 'I truly believe we've succeeded in making Hitachi products not just known, but genuinely loved by the Greek market.' Headquartered in central Athens with a service and after-sales department in Magoula, Attica, Helma employs 42 staff and serves a wide customer base — from large contractors to independent machine owners — primarily in road construction, quarrying, general construction, earthmoving and recycling. The company was founded in 1985 by Iris Tsouma's father, Dimitris Tsoumas, who had a background in the used equipment sector. Iris joined the company in 2019 after completing her studies, noting in the release that she "always knew" she would follow in her father's footsteps. HCME President and CEO Francesco Quaranta offered congratulations, saying, 'We appreciate Helma's commitment to quality and the dedication it has shown in providing excellent after-sales service to our customers.' Looking ahead, Helma is preparing for expansion. 'We are creating a dedicated Hitachi showroom for stock machines, renovating our existing facilities, and growing the Helma family,' Tsouma said. "Helma marks 40 years in business and 5-year Hitachi partnership" was originally created and published by Leasing Life, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
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Travel + Leisure
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Travel + Leisure
How to Spend a Perfect Long Weekend in the Athenian Riviera—Where to Eat, Shop, and Stay
In the 1960s, the stretch of coastline just south of Athens—beginning at the port of Piraeus and sprawling some 40 miles along the western shore of the Attica Peninsula—was the place to see and be seen. Brigitte Bardot, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Frank Sinatra, and other celebrities vacationed there, camping out at the Astir Palace—the grande dame of Riviera elegance and a fixture in films, fashion shoots, and society pages. In the 1970s, however, once travelers could reach the Greek islands directly by air, the area's fortunes began to fade. From left: A guest room at the Ace Hotel & Swim Club Athens; the property's façade. Ace Hotel & Swim Club Athens But the tides are changing once again. In 2019, the Astir Palace reopened as the Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens , kicking off a renaissance that, in the past two years, has included the arrival of more stylish hotels, restaurants, and beach clubs. Related: How to Plan the Perfect Trip to Athens, Greece, According to Travel Experts Like Rick Steves The suburb of Vouliagmeni, where the Four Seasons sits, saw the opening last year of the Astir Marina, with 50 berths for yachts and mega-yachts. There's also a shopping complex, with boutiques for Greek fashion brands like Zeus & Dione and Karkalis. Oven Manufactory, a bakery and coffee shop in the heart of Glyfada. In the upmarket neighborhood of Glyfada, 10 minutes north of Vouliagmeni, the Ace Hotel & Swim Club Athens has been generating buzz since it opened in the fall. The brand's first European outpost is housed in a Modernist building from the 1970s, which has been given an update by the French design firm Ciguë and has a swim club where guests can stretch out by the pool on retro-striped loungers. Related: This Clifftop Sanctuary Was Just Named the No. 1 Resort in Greece—With Glittering Aegean Sea Views All Around New restaurants are diverging from traditional taverna fare. Among them is Bungalow 7 , where chef Dinos Fotinakis—who made his name at Mykonos's acclaimed Beefbar—has crafted a menu that elegantly blends classic Italian dishes with Asian flavors, such as carbonara with Wagyu bacon and matcha tiramisu. Also worth a stop are Sofi's Eatery, a café and deli that's become a popular brunch spot in Vouliagmeni, and Oven Manufactory, a sceney bakery and coffee shop in the heart of Glyfada. From left: A niçoise salad from Sebastian, the restaurant at Ace Hotel & Swim Club Athens; Sofi's Eatery, a deli and café in Vouliagmeni. From left: Ace Hotel & Swim Club Athens; Thomas Gravanis Sandwiched between these two glamorous neighborhoods is the One&Only Aesthesis , set within 50 acres of forest reserve overlooking the Saronic Gulf. There are 95 bungalows spread across the grounds—some tucked among olive trees and bougainvillea, others right on the water—each with wood paneling, floor-to-ceiling windows, and expansive outdoor spaces with showers and fireplaces. Nearby is 91 Athens Riviera , which was opened last June by Greek hospitality brand Domes. Accommodations take the form of futuristic tents, with canvas strung across domed structures, and include all the trappings you'd expect on a luxury safari, like canopy beds and private plunge pools. A version of this story first appeared in the August 2025 issue of Travel + Leisure under the headline "Age of the Aegean ."
Bloomberg
10-07-2025
- Climate
- Bloomberg
Wildfires Force Evacuations in Greece as Heat Returns to Europe
Fires raged across Greece amid hot and dry weather, forcing evacuations in an area near Athens as well as on the island of Thasos. Some parts of the North Aegean island remain without power, with the other fire in Attica causing devastation to a forest. Large parts of Europe are facing a return of heat wave conditions in the coming days, with Copernicus forecasting fire dangers for places as far north as Germany and the UK and flagging particular risks for Spain and southern France.
