Six settlements and two monasteries have been evacuated on Thursday morning as a wildfire has been raging since the previous night in the area of Schinos by Loutraki, north-east of Corinth. Thousands of acres of pine forest and four houses have been burnt down. It is the first big wildfire of the year.
The power network in the area has been damaged as the fire burned electricity poles and wires have been cut.
Smoke and ashes reached even Athens, some 100 km away.
The fire broke out late on Wednesday in the pine forest covering and strong West winds had it quickly out of control.
The settlements of Schinos, Aghia Sotira, Vamvakes, Mavrolimni, Mazi and Paraskevas have been evacuated, as well as the monasteries Aghios Ioannis Makrinos and Aghia Paraskevi as a precaution, the Fire Service said.
182 firefighters with 62 fire trucks as well as 7 teams of firemen on foot and 17 water-dropping aircraft battling against the blaze.
Most of the houses in the area are holiday homes and are not currently inhabited,” said Vassilis Vathrakogiannis, spokesman of the Fire Brigades told state-run news agensy amna.
The spokesman said that the wildfire broke out in area with very dense vegetation and got big because of West winds blowing with 4-5 Beaufort and gusts of 6 B that directed the blaze towards the Gerania mountains.
Furthermore, there is no road network for vehicles to move, except for a road leading from Schinos to Alepochori.
The battle as the winds are expected to get stronger by noon.
Δορυφορικές εικόνες από την διασπορά του καπνού από την #φωτιά στο #Σχίνο, τις πρωινές & μεσημβρινές ώρες της Πέμπτης 20 Μαΐου, όπως καταγράφηκαν από το σύστημα #FIREHUB του @beyond_center
Διαρκής ενημέρωση στο https://t.co/FVW0rmmjMA#Αλεποχώρι #Σχίνος #φωτιά #πυρκαγιά pic.twitter.com/W14OW8jmBB
— ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ (@amna_news) May 20, 2021
The spread of smoke in the morning and noon hours on Thursday as recorded from FIREHUB system of
@beyond_center
State broadcaster ERT reported at noon that the fire front extends to 10 km.
Every year wildfires burn down thousands of acres of forest land, kill wildlife and set people’s lives at risk. Many wildfires are caused by negligence or arson.
pictures via social media.
People’S residents?? As I have followed Animal Welfare groups and volunteers struggle To Save Animals THESE PEOPLE run away and LEAVE their pets alone, tied In yards without possibility To escape!!!!!!! They LET THEIR OWN PETS DIE a horrible suffering death?!!!!! What kind of people are these greeks????!!?
COWARDS. 😡I would NEVER EVER leave my cats and dogs, I would save them FIRST even my own Life would be In danger!!!! BUT that is Greece. What Else To expect. Me, me, me. Always ME!!!!!!!