The big wildfire that started in north-eastern Attica on Sunday has reached the outskirts of NE Athens, Patima areas in the suburbs of Halandri and Vrilissia on Monday afternoon, 24 hours after its start.
Skai TV has just reported that at least 3 houses in Patima, Vrilissia have been swallowed by the flames as well as several vehicles.The evacuation of hospital “Amalia Flemming” (in red circle in the picture below) is being prepared.
Videos from the fire reaching Vrilissia, the urban fabric of Greek capital Athens!
Βίντεο από τη φωτιά στη συμβολή των οδών Αναπαύσεως και Αλφειού, στα Βριλήσσια.#βριλήσσια #πυρκαγιά #φωτιά #φωτιά_τώρα pic.twitter.com/LEytmfQ1RD
— iEidiseis.gr (@iEidiseisGR) August 12, 2024
Βίντεο από τη φωτιά στα Άνω Βριλήσσια.#βριλήσσια #πυρκαγιά #φωτιά #φωτιά_τώρα pic.twitter.com/zJNhekzXNy
— iEidiseis.gr (@iEidiseisGR) August 12, 2024
Northeast Attica remains trapped also on Monday in the vortex of the wildfire that is raging out of control for over 24 hours.Villages, settlements, towns, hospitals and one monastery have been evacuated and 180 people were rescued and moved to safety by firefighters, police officers and volunteers.
Strong winds blowing with 6-7 Beaufort and gust of 8B make the fire extinction efforts extremely difficult.
At least eight people have been transferred to hospitals due to respiratory problems. Two firefighters have been injured, one with burn injuries and one with respiratory problems.
In the early morning hours of Monday the Children hospital in Penteli, the 414 Military hospital and the Monastery of Penteli were evacuated.
The Civil Protection emergency Line 112 has been continuously sending evacuation messages to residents and summer vacationists, but many locals refuse to leave as they want to protect their homes and businesses.
“There can’t be one fire truck in every settlement, therefore we stay here to protect our homes with water hoses,” a resident told a TV channel.
“Where are the firefighters?” a woman shouted in another live report.
Strong winds with gusts up to 8 Beaufort make the firefighters’ effort extremely difficult. According to the weather forecasts, the winds are not going to subside at least until Monday afternoon and are expected to weaken as of the evening.
The fire that started at 3 o’ clock in the area of Varnavas on Sunday afternoon and spread quickly has reached a length of 50 km with multiple fronts on Monday.
It is now burning uncontrollable in Penteli, Dioni, Daou, Kallitechnoupoli and Gramatiko and the last evacuation messages were sent early afternoon for Soufani and Pefkofyto in Marathonas, and a settlement in Nea Makri, in Nea and Palaia Penteli, the outskirts of NE Athens in Patima Halandri and Parima Vrilissia.
The fire has been burning throughout the night creating horrifying pictures and residents in the broader areas to watching out if the dangerous front would come near to their homes.
The ecological destruction of the fire is immense, it is estimated that so far 21,000 acres of dense forest and farmland have been burned down.
At the same time, the blaze has destroyed houses and businesses, vehicles, barns with farming animals, greenhouses, olive groves and vine yards.
The wildfire that started at 3 o’ clock in the area of Varnavas on Sunday afternoon and spread quickly has reached a length of 50 km with multiple fronts on Monday and is now burning uncontrollable in Penteli, Dioni, Daou, Kallitechnoupoli and Gramatiko and the last evacuation messages were sent around 2 p.m.to Soufani in Marathonas, and in Nea Makri and Nea Penteli.
670 firefighters with 27 teams on foot incl ‘forest commandos’, 183 fire trucks engines and 32 water dropping aerial means – 17 aircraft and 15 helicopters – , as well as a large number of volunteers and locals operate in the multiple fire fronts assisted by heavy machinery and water trucks of the municipalities.
Evacuations continued all night with municipalities to have open sports stadiums for the people fleeing from the fire.
but also for animals, mostly pets who were left behind but were rescued by volunteers under very difficult circumstances.
Attica remains in Extreme Fire Risk (Category 5) also on Monday and will be at Very High Risk (Category 4) on Tuesday, August 13, 2024, the Civil Protection announced.
PS worth noting that main stream media “demonize” the wildfire and the nature by using expressions such as “Look, how angrily the flames attack a tree,” the fire is in outrage”, “pine trees are aggressive” and other silly descriptions aiming to deprive the government and the coordinators of the fire extinction mechanism of any responsibility.
Drosia somehow does not seem to contain burnable material. How come?
the “aftermath” will be terrible for everything that lives. will you give us addresses where we can send money to help people, but also animal charities? i remember you did a fantastic follow-up to the fire in mati in 2018.
thank you. haven’t seen so far calls for donations. so far tti’s the Red Cross collecting items (food, water, pads etc) I’ll keep an eye on it.