Citizens were injured, houses were burned down, villages and settlements in Ziria, Achaia were evacuated on Saturday afternoon, after a wild forest fire got out of control. The Coast Guard was mobilized and fishermen rushed with their boats to popular sea resorts along the coast of northern Peloponnese in the Gulf of Corinthto transfer locals and visitors to safety.
The fire that started at 1 o’ clock in the forest of Ziria near Aigio spread uncontrollably due to wind gusts.
People in the villages of Lampiri, Kamares, Ziria and Ano Ziria received messages to evacuate via the emergency phone number <112> as the flames were approaching residential areas.
#BREAKING Μεγάλη πυρκαγιά στη Νέα Ζήρια Αχαΐας – Εκκενώνονται οικισμοί
Φωτιά στα νέα Ζήρια Αχαΐας #OPENnews #φωτια pic.twitter.com/UOvoMv2jkf— OPEN News (@OpenNewsGr) July 31, 2021
Among those evacuated by vessels of the Coast guard were some 20 guests at a hotel in Loggos and some 15 people form the Bouka beach in Kamara, while private boats brought beachgoers to visitors.
ιδιωτικα σκαφη κ λιμενικο απομακρυνουν λουομενους απο την παραλια στις Καμαρες….απο το https://t.co/vbvAEtWb4f…. #φωτια pic.twitter.com/Zszsv89VOs
— Vasileios Kordas (@VasileiosKordas) July 31, 2021
Approximately 100 children were evacuated at a summer camp in the coastal town of Panagopoula, for precautionary reasons.
Parts of the Corinth – Patras old and new national highway were closed to traffic as the flames were carried over the highway and the smoke was thick.
Animal welfare societies in the are called on people to not leave behind their animals or at least untie them and let them run for their lives.
“At least 10 houses have burnt down,” the chairman of Ziria community told media Saturday evening adding that they didn’t have the full picture yet.
Short time later, media reported that at least 20 houses burned down.
More than 95 firefighters, 33 fire trucks, 8 aircraft and 7 helicopters operate in the area, however, the aerial means only by day light.
Μας έχουν περικυκλώσει οι φωτιές στην Άκολη Αιγίου #φωτια pic.twitter.com/n5OwOAOuQ0
— i pethera 🖕👀🤍 (@IPethera) July 31, 2021
The university hospitals in the cities of Patras, Aegio and Rio and the EmergencyResponse Ambulance Center (EKAV) were placed in high alert.
Four citizens and one member of the coast guard were reportedly injured and taken to hospitals. In one case EKAV paramedics intervened to a person in need of first aid but the person refused hospital trasnfer, local media reported.
It is the third forest fire in the area of Ziria for the third consecutive day.
According to latest media information, the flames swallowed also trees, vegetation and cabins in well-known Club Mediterrane in the Lampiri.
More pictures by local media best
