Heat and fires also made life difficult for people in Greece on Saturday. A major fire destroyed the forest of Dadia National Park, one of the largest forest areas in southeastern Europe. A second major fire raged on the south side of the holiday island of Lesvos. Civil Defense ordered the evacuation of the village of Vatera.
Residents of Vatera had already taken refuge on the beaches because of the heavy smoke, but coastguard boat crews then rescued them, state television reported. At least ten houses in the village were damaged. The eight kilometer long sandy beach of Vatera also attracts many holidaymakers every year.
Nature Reserve on Fire
The situation in the Dadia nature reserve in northeastern Greece remained difficult. The flames destroyed a biotope that is home to countless birds of prey and wild animals. The area is densely forested and there are hardly any roads. That is why the fire service is trying to control the flames from the air with fire-fighting planes and helicopters, a spokesperson for the fire service said on Saturday afternoon.
According to civil defense most of Greece’s 86 firefighting planes and helicopters are fighting the flames. Smaller fires raged in the Peloponnese peninsula, Greece’s state radio reported.
In some places up to 40 degrees
Drought and high temperatures would hit almost all parts of Greece in the coming days, creating “the perfect backdrop” for further fires, meteorologists warned. Temperatures in central Greece were around 38 degrees early on Saturday morning. In some places, the thermometer should show readings of more than 40 degrees Celsius in the afternoon, the meteorological agency said. It should be even hotter early next week and the heat will last into early August.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
