People were evacuated in the early morning hours of Thursday when the powerful winds brought the blaze dangerously close to their summer houses. The wildfire broke out at Wednesday midnight in Aetos area of the coastal town of Karystos on the island of Evia.
Initially winds blowing with intensity up to 6 Beaufort were spreading the wildfire towards the coast but when their direction changed the blaze moved towards the Metohi village.
At least 15 people, among them elderly, had to be evacuated from their summer houses and were brought to safety for preventive reasons and following recommendations of the Fire Service.
Dozens of firefighters worked all night against the wildfire that was taken under partial control around 7 o’ clock Thursday morning.
The Fire Service investigates the causes of the wildfire that could be due to targeted arson.
Every time strong winds are blowing in and around Karystos, there is always a wildfire breaking out, media report.
Wildfires & Strong Winds
The risk of wildfires remain “very high” also on Thursday, June 27, 2019, as strong north winds will be blowing also today.
Map: Wildfire risks issues by the Greek Civil Protection – Affected regions are Attica, Evia, Corinth and Argolida in North-East Peloponnese and the island of Chios in the Eastern Aegean Sea.
In regions marked with yellow the risk is “high,” while in those marked with orange the risk is “very high.”
Wildfires take people’s lives and destroy thousands of acres of forest land every summer in Greece.
In the last 24 hours, the Fire Service had to intervene in 33 forest fires across the country.
