Emergency Evacuations as Wildfires Ravage Eight Villages in Greece

In a distressing recurrence of past summers, Greece has been hit by wildfires that have prompted the evacuation of eight villages and a city hospital in the northeastern part of the country. Firefighters are battling multiple forest fires, but their efforts are being hampered by strong winds and high temperatures.

The severity of the fire risk has led to restrictions on public access to forests and mountains in various regions, including the Athens area. Military patrols have also been deployed. Meanwhile, over 100 patients from a hospital in Alexandroupolis have been transferred to a ferry as the uncontrollable forest fire continues to rage.

The fires have caused the sky to turn a haunting red, with smoke and ash filling the air. Two villages near Alexandroupolis have suffered damage, and other homes have been affected in the Kavala region. A separate fire has also ignited in the Evros border region, spreading through a protected national park forest.

In response to the crisis, international assistance has been provided, with firefighters from Romania and Cyprus offering support in battling the fires. Greece has a history of devastating forest fires during the summer months, and authorities have been issuing mass evacuation orders as a precautionary measure.

Tragically, forest fire-related deaths, including those of air force pilots, have already been recorded this summer, highlighting the urgency of addressing and combating these destructive wildfires.