Wildfires have encroached upon the outskirts of Athens, Greece, due to strong gusts of wind, causing disruptions to both highway traffic and rail services. Over the span of three successive Mediterranean heat waves in a period of two weeks, the fires have ravaged various parts of the country, resulting in five casualties, including two firefighting pilots. A massive evacuation of tourists was also carried out on the island of Rhodes over the weekend.
Efforts to combat the wildfires included the deployment of water-dropping helicopters and ground crews who successfully extinguished a blaze in Kifissia, just north of Athens. Near the central city of Volos, another wildfire burned on two fronts, leading to the closure of a section of Greece’s busiest highway and causing delays in national rail services passing through the area. Firefighters also continued to battle flames on Rhodes for the tenth consecutive day, and there were reports of flare-ups on the island of Evia.
The scale of the wildfires in Greece has had a significant environmental impact, with carbon emissions for the month of July reaching unprecedented levels. The European Union’s Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, which analyzes satellite data, revealed that Greece’s wildfire carbon emissions for July exceeded 1 metric megaton, doubling the previous record in the past 20 years.
A tragic incident occurred as a firefighting plane crashed in southern Greece, resulting in the deaths of the two pilots involved. Senior members of the armed forces in Athens paid tribute to the fallen pilots at a ceremony held at the Defense Ministry, with Defense Minister Nikos Dendias expressing condolences and acknowledging their sacrifice.
The intensity and scale of the wildfires in Greece have been described as unusual by Mark Parrington, a senior scientist at the European Union agency. He attributed the severity of the fires to the extreme conditions prevailing in the region and highlighted the significance of the emissions observed and estimated in relation to the data from the past two decades.
Funeral services for the two pilots will be held in northern Greece and on the island of Crete. The country mourns their loss, and their memories will be cherished.
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