Around 100 square kilometers of land have been burned until Monday evening from the Athens wildfires that have been raging since Sunday afternoon, according to estimates by the National Meteorological Service of Athens (meteo.gr), based on images received by the European satellite Sentinel-2.
Hundreds of people were evacuated as the forest fires approached the northern suburbs of Athens.
The wildfire that started at Varnavas, northeast of Athens, has spread southwards closer to the Greek capital, like lightning, covering at least 13 miles (20 kilometers) within hours.
Houses burned down in the suburbs of Vrilissia and Nea Penteli, whilst businesses and shops were seen on media footage being engulfed by the blaze.
An all-out effort to contain fires raging in the Attica Region on Monday involved 702 firefighters and 27 forest command firefighters with 199 fire trucks, 35 aerial assets and volunteers.
Two fire trucks were engulfed by flames and destroyed during efforts to put out the fire west of Neos Voutzas on Monday afternoon. A firefighter had superficial burns, while the other three in the fire trucks were not injured.
The National Observatory of Athens’ observation station at Lofos Koufou on Penteli mountain is no longer threatened by an encroaching fire after the Fire Department intervened.
High-risk dry conditions and high-velocity winds made putting the fires out more difficult by the Fire Department and volunteers, while while the highly risky weather phenomena are expected to continue into Tuesday, the Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Ministry warned.
The main fronts of Athens wildfires on Monday evening
According to information by the Civil Protection on Monday afternoon, firefighters are focusing on the following main fronts: Daou Pentelis, Palea and Nea Penteli, Dionyssos, Vrilissia, and Afidnes.
The front at Afidnes is looking better, the sources said, while the front heading to Marathonas has shown improvement.
Situation remains extremely difficult in parts of northeastern Attica due to the wildfire that has been unfolding since Sunday, emphasized spokesperson for the Fire Brigade Vasilis Vathrakogiannis, during an emergency briefing on Monday.
Vathrakogiannis highlighted that flare-ups and spot fires are continuous, creating new hotspots and spreading rapidly, aided by very strong winds.
“Currently, firefighting forces are tackling fronts in Daou Penteli, Old and New Penteli, Marathon towards Grammatiko, Dionysos and Patima in Vrilissia. The situation has improved in Afidnes and Kalentzi,” he noted.
Additionally, he reported that 30 alerts had been issued through 112, most recently for the evacuation of residents from New and Old Penteli, Patima in Halandri, Patima in Vrilissia, Krassa Ano Vrilissia, as well as from Dionysos and Kalentzi Marathon, to safe locations.
Vathrakogiannis also mentioned that, as a precaution, the Amalia Fleming General Hospital in Melissia was evacuated earlier and patients were transferred to the “Pamakaristos” hospital.
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