Authorities temporarily closed a small part of the national highway Athens-Lamia in north-eastern Attica early Tuesday afternoon due to the big fire front of Varympompi. Some two hours earlier, residents of Varympompi and Kryoneri Attica, were urged to shut doors, windows and chimneys after a thick black cloud emerged from a blaze in the nearby forest on the foothills of Parnitha Mt. The Civil Protection message via Emergency number <112>; also advised locals to be ready to evacuate if necessary.
⚠️ Ενεργοποίηση 1️⃣1️⃣2️⃣
🆘Aν βρίσκεστε στην ευρύτερη περιοχή #Βαρυμπόμπης ή #Κρυονερίου #Αττικής, κλείστε καμινάδες, παράθυρα, πόρτες, για να μην διεισδύσουν οι καύτρες στο εσωτερικό σπιτιού-Παραμείνετε σε ετοιμότητα, ακολουθείτε οδηγίες αρχών
‼️Δασική πυρκαγιά στην περιοχή σας pic.twitter.com/jIOzQj846O
— 112 Greece (@112Greece) August 3, 2021
Residents in the area and the north-west suburbs of Athens are concerned, and many owners of horse riding clubs have rushed to evacuate dozens of animals, some 200 in total. However, without success, as the Fire Service does not allow them to get closer and traffic in main and smaller roads has been halted.
80 children have been evacuated from a summer camp.
Καιγόμαστε λίγο στην Βαρυμπόμπη pic.twitter.com/t8NWozrm05
— Μινα (@clockwork_mina) August 3, 2021
The fire started around 1:30 Tuesday noon and explosions were heard and seen as the thick black smog rose in the sky from the foothills of the mountain of Parnitha.
Over 104 firefighters operate with 35 fire trucks, assisted by volunteers and firemen teams on foot as well as 5 water dropping aircraft and 4 helicopters.
Βαρυμπόμπη τώρα pic.twitter.com/Mmoa3gB9p1
— Γιάννα (@atromitos57) August 3, 2021
However, the blaze is in a dense forest, the area is hardly accessible and it seems that only aerial means can do something for the time being.
Τι μας έλειπε;
Μια φωτιά τώρα στη Βαρυμπόμπη pic.twitter.com/I71wlG0qdF— live and let live (@Myriam_K) August 3, 2021
The thick smog has reached suburbs of northern Athens like Kifissia and Erythraia and the national highway.
Now
Video from resident Kato kiffissia.#Athens#heatwave#wildfire pic.twitter.com/51QgAh0Kn0— Christina Themelis (@tinathemelis) August 3, 2021
Η φώτο απο την βεράντα στη Νέα Ερυθραία, η φωτιά είναι πισω απο την βιανεξ μεταξυ βαρυμπομπης και Κρυονέριου pic.twitter.com/Isjt6Wbwxd
— γης μαδιαμ (@kiriaki03867538) August 3, 2021
So far, there is not official information on the causes of the forest fire as well as what caused the explosions, but this will be determined once the blaze has been extinguished, state news agency amna reports.
However, speaking to Skai TV, the mayor of Acharnes where Varympompi belongs Spyros Vrettos said that there was an explosion of a power column.
Βαρυμπόμπη πριν δέκα λεπτά.#βαρυμπόμπη pic.twitter.com/vT05t3WKLE
— Fortino Samano (@fortinosamano_2) August 3, 2021
The blaze as detected by the FIREHUB system.
Πυρκαγιά βρίσκεται σε εξέλιξη σε δασική έκταση στην περιοχή Άνω Βαρυμπόμπη, του δήμου Αχαρνών. Το γεγονός ανιχνεύθηκε από το σύστημα FIREHUB του BEYOND στη13.35 τοπική ώρα μέσω των δορυφορικών εικόνων των συστημάτων Meteosat Second Generation 2, 3, και 4 . pic.twitter.com/0tEIbwGzD6
— beyond (@beyond_center) August 3, 2021
Attica Regional Governor Giorgos Patoulis said short after 4 o’ clock that there are currently three fire fronts, one near the settlement Adams, one near the horse riding clubs and one in the forest.
Evacuation of settlement Adames was ordered short after 4:30 p.m.
As the blaze is near some power substation media report of problems in the power surge and thus on the hottest day in the Greek capital where over 42 degrees Celsius are being recorded.
