Greece faces more than 60 forest fires in one day

Of the total number of outbreaks, 52 were put out in their initial stages. Source: @amaregar

June 23, 2024 Time: 15:49

Meanwhile, 13 crew members of a tourist yacht were arrested on suspicion of having started a fire on the island of Hydra, after launching fireworks.

While firefighters in Greece were busy extinguishing 66 forest fires, reported between 6:00 p.m. on Friday and 6:00 p.m. on Saturday (local time), authorities detained 13 crew members of a tourist yacht after launching fireworks from the boat.

Of the total number of outbreaks, 52 were put out in their initial stages. At this time, extinguishing teams are dealing with the remaining 14, according to the state news agency AMNA.

Schools closed due to heat wave in Greece

Likewise, civil protection authorities are making great efforts to extinguish the flames in the area of ​​Kontodespoti, on the island of Evia, and in the city of Sapci or Sapes, in Western Thrace.

Meanwhile, 13 crew members of the tourist yacht Persephone were arrested on suspicion of having started a fire on the island of Hydra, after launching fireworks from the boat.

The embers from the pyrotechnic devices launched last Friday set fire to the only pine forest on the island. Although citizens tried to put out the fire and called the firefighters before leaving the site, the flames advanced 120 hectares.

Consequently, a court in the port city of Piraeus indicted the 13 crew members on criminal charges. They could be sentenced to sentences of between ten and 20 years in prison if they prove their guilt in the trial next Wednesday.

For his part, the Greek Minister of Civil Protection, Vasilis Kikilia, expressed his indignation at the event. “We ended up using six aerial vehicles and two groups of firefighters to deal with the fire; forces that were needed on other fronts,” he said in an interview with OPEN TV.

For today, the authorities of said government portfolio predicted a very high risk of forest fire in the Attica region. This includes the Athens area and the city of Piraeus in Evia, as a result of the extreme heat.