Greece Declares State of Alert as Wildfires Erupt

The firefighting authorities in Greece announced on Sunday that they have managed to control raging wildfires in central Greece and the island of Crete, as the country grapples with the aftermath of fires that have been raging for over a month without rainfall.

Following five weeks of drought, Greece witnessed an unprecedented number of forest fires over the weekend. On Saturday alone, 72 fires were reported in agricultural lands, mostly on the island of Crete and the central mainland.

The Civil Protection Agency has issued its second-highest alert level as storms expected to hit the Aegean Sea area from this evening until Tuesday could exacerbate the flames.

Wildfires are common in Greece, situated along the Mediterranean Sea, during the summer months, but the government has stated that extreme drought conditions, winds, and heat, attributed by scientists to climate change, have made them worse in recent years.

Last year, a forest fire in northeastern Greece destroyed a vast area near the city of Thessaloniki over 11 days and claimed the lives of 20 people.