For third consecutive day a wildfire is raging on the Pierian Mountains in the north-west of Olympus mountain. The fire front is out of control and threatens the mountaineering club and a wildlife shelter in Sarakatsana area, and is moving towards Kozani.
Video: How the fire smoke spreads beyond the front area.
There are calls for volunteers to help take the fire under control.
Local media olympiovima.gr speaks of “big disappointment over the lack of immediate action of the state mechanism” against the wildfire.
“The forest of Pieria was not considered a significant loss, that’s why the aerial means appeared only “for the photo” shortly before nightfall on Sunday, March 31, 2024, as well as on Monday, April 1, 2024, sporadically and without being in the area when there were rekindlings and rapid expansion of the fire!” the local media noted.
The wildfire started at an altitude of 1,100 meters and is moving upward, reaching beyond 1,900 m.
The mountain has now one top less as it burned “Lapousi” at an altitude of 2,005 meters.
The wildfire started at an altitude of 1,100 meters and is moving upward, reaching beyond 1,900 m.
Pierian mountains range between the prefectures of Imathia, Pieria and Kozani south of the plain of Kambania in Central Macedonia, Greece. The village of Vergina, where the archaeological site of ancient Aigai lies, is built at the foot of these mountains.
The mountains are famous for their unique flora.
pictures via olympiovima.gr
“The fire started in the Pieria Mountains above the village of Ritini, Pieria, at an altitude of 1100 meters on Sunday at noon, and reached the ridge at 1900 meters almost at the borders of the prefecture of Kozani” Pieria forester Petros Papapetrou said on Tuesday.
Today, Tuesday, the fire that continues burns for the third day in the place “Karakatsana”.
According Papapetrou, “the fire is mostly creeping, which means it is under the trees and burns low vegetation, while in some places is burning the top of the trees, mostly conifers because they are more flammable.”
Firefighting forces have been operating in the area since Sunday with ground and aerial means and on Tuesday, 3 firefighting helicopters have been participating in the firefighting battle since early morning.
Local media kozan.gr posted a video on Tuesday morning showing two firefighting Canadair pumping water from Polyfytos lake.
The forestry service immediately mobilized the residents and the forestry cooperatives of the neighboring settlements (Ritini, Elatochori, Ag. Dimitrios, Livadi etc.) who helped to open 3 fire protection zones created by the Forestry Service along with the Municipality’s project machinery and the Region. Papapetrou added.
PS if wildfires range out of control already beginning of April, I don’t want to think what will happen in summer.
