Firefighters in Greece are battling multiple forest fires across the country on Wednesday, including blazes threatening villages and towns near the western city of Patras and two tourist islands, Chios and Zakynthos. The fires have destroyed homes, farms, and industrial facilities and led to the evacuation of thousands of residents and tourists since Tuesday.
Dozens of people were taken to hospitals due to smoke inhalation since Tuesday, according to reports from public broadcaster ERT. About 13 firefighters were treated for burns and other injuries, a fire service spokesman said. Nearly 5,000 firefighters, assisted by 33 firefighting aircraft, were deployed from morning hours to control the flames, which are being intensified by winds and hot, dry conditions near Patras, on the tourist islands of Chios and Zakynthos, and at three additional locations on the mainland.
"Wednesday will be another very difficult day, as the risk of forest fires in most areas of the country will be very high," the fire service spokesman said.
Flames and dark smoke spread over a cement factory that was ignited by a forest fire that swept through olive trees and forests and disrupted train traffic near Patras.
"How does it look? It looks like judgment day. We came from Athens with our volunteer association Kalistenis, and we won't be able to do more. God help us and our people here," volunteer firefighter Yorgos Karvanis said, who worked on the fire near Patras.
Authorities issued an evacuation order for residents of a town of about 7,700 people near Patras on Tuesday and issued new warnings on Wednesday, asking residents of two nearby villages to leave their homes. On Chios island, the Coast Guard used boats to evacuate people to safety as flames reached the shores.
Spain, Portugal, Turkey, and the Balkans are also fighting forest fires in recent days, after a heat wave pushed temperatures above 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius) in several regions of Europe. In Albania and Montenegro, forest fires have destroyed homes and property since last week.
