Houses in south-eastern Attica are on fire and the powerful wind is moving the blaze towards the protected National Forest of Cape Sounion on Monday. Three settlements have been evacuated as firefighters and aerial means rushed to the area.
Mainly affected is currently the settlement Markati near Kearatea, some 50 km SE from the center of Athens.
The wildfires broke out in low vegetation area at 10:30 in the morning and spread quickly to the pine forest due to winds blowing with intensity of 5 to 6 Beaufort that often change direction.
#Μαρκάτι #Κερατέας – εντολή εκκένωσης προς #Λαύριο pic.twitter.com/FYpBgtEuSq
— Koutsileou Margarita – Eleni (@mek_pearl) August 16, 2021
The mayor and locals told media that it was “arson” and according to eyewitnesses, a suspicious vehicle was seen in the area very short before the fire started. According to state ERT, the fire started in a garbage bin.
There are currently over 84 firefighters and more than 26 fire trucks, ground forces, 6 aircraft and 4 helicopters operating in the area as well as volunteers and army soldiers.
Men in Markati, Synterina and Agios Konstantinos defied the evacuation order and stayed to help prevent the flames reach the settlements houses that are main residences and summer houses.
via cnngreece
Police has closed to traffic several roads in the area.
#φωτια #κερατεα #μαρκατι
Φωτιά τωρα στο Μαρκάτι στη Κερατέα pic.twitter.com/wfu367cw81— Στρουμφίτος™ (@Smurfitos) August 16, 2021
The wind is not expected to weaken in the next 2-3 hours, ERT reported.
The villages of Agios Georgios or Palaiochori, Agia Paraskevi and Kyro Pigadi in Villia north-western Attica was also evacuated Monday noon, after a fire started at 12:30 noon.
Αυτή τη στιγμή εικόνα από τη Ψαθα.
Καλή Δύναμη στους πυροσβέστες και εθελοντές που τρέχουν για ακόμη μια φορά #Βίλια & #κερατεα! #φωτια #πυρκαγιές @pyrosvestiki pic.twitter.com/mvRykeQE7W
— SmashPoint (@SmashPointgr) August 16, 2021
Two more villages were evacuated by 4:00 p.m.
Έχει πάρει φωτιά και στον δρόμο προς Πόρτο Γερμενό! #Κερατεα pic.twitter.com/rWhUA1A0QW
— KouKouTsa (@koukoutsavt) August 16, 2021
Over 60 firefighters wth 25 trucks and over 10 aerial means are currently operating in the area with many summer houses.
The two big fire fronts on Monday take place as Greece is trying to recover from the big fires that destroyed thousands of hectares of forest and agricultural land, burned down houses and killed livestock and wildlife in Attica, Evia and Peloponnese since the beginning of August.
38 forest fires occurred in the last 24 hours, the Fire Service said on Monday.
Due to the strong north winds, the regions of Attica, Argolida, Chios, Psara and areas in Evia, Viotia and Corinth
WHERE IS THE EU????? aREN’T THEY HELPING TO PUT OUT THE FIRES?????
they did
These arsonists should be tied to a stake in one of these fires so that they can see what horrors they cause