Heavy grey-yellow clouds blanketed the sky of Athens on Sunday afternoon, after a wildfire broke out in the farmland and forest area of Varnavas in north-eastern Attica,some 30 km away, and has been raging out of control.
The north suburbs of the Greek capital report of a “suffocating atmosphere”, while bathers along the Athens Riviera kept swimming in a surreal landscape.
The smoke seen from Penteli Mountain via newsit.gr
Πριν λίγα λεπτά…Φωτιά στο Βαρνάβα Αττικής!!!
Ο ήλιος κρύφτηκε από τους καπνούς στην Αθήνα… pic.twitter.com/S3XtdZGItZ
— George Ballas (@G_Ballas) August 11, 2024
Wildfires send huge clouds of smoke over Athens.#Greece pic.twitter.com/6zIUCIYugb
— Derek Gatopoulos (@dgatopoulos) August 11, 2024
#Πυρκαγιά #Βαρνάβα
Οι καπνοί από την πυρκαγιά στου Βαρνάβα έχουν ήδη επηρεάσει την ποιότητα του αέρα σε όλο το Λεκανοπέδιο. Κλειστά παράθυρα και περιορισμός των μετακινήσεων. pic.twitter.com/ipBCHm5snM— PROMETHEUS Team – Disaster Intelligence (@PROMETHEUSTeam1) August 11, 2024
At 6:20 p.m.reports say that the wildfire is moving from Varnavas very quickly due to northern winds blowing with intensity 6 to 7 Beaufort and is currently in the direction of the forest, the village of Grammatiko and the lake of Marathonas.
Locals have received sms via emergency line 112 to evacuate Varnavas, Panagia Monastery, Vothonas, Kalantzi and Pourithi. Residents of Stamata received an evacuation message short after 6:30 p.m., Skai TV reported.
According to state broadcaster ERT, not all locals have left the area, joining forces to save their own people, their animals and their properties.
🔥Στις φλόγες έχουν τυλιχτεί σπίτια στον #Βαρνάβα . #πυρκαγια #Βαρνάβας pic.twitter.com/raSHoFUXmF
— Forecast Weather Greece (@ForecastGreece) August 11, 2024
There are currently 40 cases where authorities had to evacuate mostly elderly people for Varnavas village.
The blaze spread quickly and passed through the village burning several houses, a local resident told Skai TV.
“The fire was some 4 km away, I sent away my wife and my mother, the atmosphere was very heavy, and then suddenly in 20 to 30 minutes the fire passed through the village at a very high speed.”
Two men over 60 years, one of them on dialysis have been transported by ambulances to Sismanoglio hospital with breathing problems due to smoke inhalation.
More ambulances have rushed to the area as there are children and elderly exposed to the heavy smoke and falling ashes, media reported.
According to the Fire Service, there are houses scattered in the forest and in the broader area.
There are currently 400 firefighters, 14 teams on foot, 110 fire engines,7 water dropping aircraft and 5 helicopters, as well as many volunteers fighting against the flames.
The spokesman of the Fire Service said that the wildfire broke out at 3:02 p.m. and at that time winds with gusts of 8 Beaufort were blowing. “The flames reached a height of even 25 meters,” the spokesman said adding that the fire started very close to the settlement.
Η ανίχνευση της μεγάλης κι επικίνδυνης #πυρκαγιάς στην περιοχή του #Βαρνάβα της Ανατολικής Αττικής από την ομάδα Beyond της FireHUB / EE έγινε σήμερα 11.08.2024 και τοπική ώρα 15:15 μμ pic.twitter.com/jeMA1xD3sV
— Γκουρμπάτσης Ανδριαν (@Gkourmpatsis) August 11, 2024
A fire truck was completely burned down, the firefighters manged to escape in time, they are all healthy and safe.
🔥Εκτός ελέγχου η πυρκαγιά στον #Βαρνάβα 🔥🔥
Τελευταία ενημέρωση δείχνει ότι η κατάσταση είναι εκτός έλεγχου
⚠️Κάηκε ολοσχερώς όχημα της Πυροσβεστικής χωρις τραυματισμο οι Πυροσβέστες βγήκαν από το όχημα εγκαίρως και είναι ΣΩΟΙ🙏🙏🙏#ΦΩΤΙΑ #Πυρκαγια#antireport pic.twitter.com/4F92696Zme— secretdoll (@secretdoll14) August 11, 2024
Skai TV reported that there are indications of an arson.
Extreme Fires Risk until August 15
Extreme Fire Risk (Category 5) was declared by the Civil Protection in Attica and three more regional units in Greece for Sunday (more details on KTG.com).
A similar warning has been issued by the Civil Protection for tomorrow, Monday, August 12, 2024.
Extreme Fire Risk (Risk Category 5):
- Attica (including the island of Kythira)
- Region of Central Greece (Viotia, Evia)
- Region of Peloponnese (Argolida, Corinth, Lakonia)
Very high fire risk (Risk Category 4):
- Region of Eastern Macedonia & Thrace (Evros, including the island of Samothraki)
- Region of Thessaly (Sporades)
- Region of Central Greece (Fokida, Viotia, Fthiotida, Evia 9including the island of Skyros)
- Region of Peloponnese
- Region of Western Greece (Achaia, Ilia)
- South Aegean Region (Cyclades islands)
- Region of Crete
PS KTG will update on Varnavas fire if necessary.
I wonder why when all the fire warnings are out and brave fire fighters are risking their lives trying to combat these horrific fires that some people start fireworks at night for fun and firecrackers.Three times in the last week at Plaka. Where are the police ? Doesn’t anyone care ?
Now if they would just restrict the cell broadcast alerts to the Attica region only. Beeing on Kea at the moment I received several alerts since yesterday evening. It seems quite unlikely to me, that the fires will jump over serveral miles of sea.
If people are pulled out of their sleep in unaffected regions by the otherwiese important alerts (but irrelevant to them) they will eventually disable cell broadcasts on their phones.
And then they won’t get alerts relevant to them if it matters.
It is the same old story about crying wolf.
oh you don’t listen to GR mainstream media saying that pine trees are dangerous because the burning pine cones can fly very far away.