Масштабный лесной пожар на крупнейшем острове Греции — Крите

Описание: Reviews of weather events, natural disasters, astronomical phenomena and wildlife around the world

A major forest fire is raging on Greece's largest island, Crete. The fire started at 16:00 in an agroforestry farm in the Achlia area of ​​Lasithi and quickly gained momentum. Shortly before 17:00, warnings were sent out to residents of the areas of Agia Fotia, Achlia, Galini and Ferma to evacuate towards Ierapetra. Authorities have also ordered a mass evacuation of hotels, rental rooms and houses as the flames approach residential areas. The firefighting force currently consists of 155 firefighters, in 8 teams and 38 vehicles, who are fighting, while 4 helicopters were working until sunset. Construction equipment and municipal water trucks are helping to localize the fire. 17 firefighters are heading to Crete from Piraeus with a ground team and five vehicles. It is also planned that 33 firefighters from the 1st Rescue Squad will fly out from Elefsina. The Deputy Chief of the Fire Department is leaving for the area to coordinate the actions of the fire brigades.
The conditions for extinguishing the fire are extremely unfavourable, as strong winds are blowing, making the task very difficult. Particular attention is being paid to preventing the fire from spreading to tourist infrastructure, with helicopter pilots making "superhuman efforts" to stop the fire. There are serious concerns about the possibility of the fire reaching a petrol station in the area, where about 35 tons of fuel are stored. Thick smoke has already covered much of the coastal area near Makris Gialos, causing serious concern among the local community.
The fire in Crete is not the only one raging in Greece at the moment. Intense heat with temperatures around +40, a prolonged lack of precipitation and strong winds create favourable conditions for the outbreak and rapid spread of fire. Another major fire is raging on Mount Dragoneli near Vourvourou in Sithonia, Chalkidiki. The fire broke out at midday in a pine forest in an inaccessible area. According to the latest information from the fire service, the situation there is slightly better. Since the fire broke out, ground forces have been doubled, as have air resources - 15 firefighting planes and five helicopters - which were working until sunset. The firefighters have made some progress, but the fire is still far from being completely contained.
The meteorological service forecast indicates wind intensity in the area of ​​5 on the Beaufort scale. If the weather does not change in the coming week and there is no rain, the situation in many parts of Greece could become critical.

#Greece
#Crete
#fire