According to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, quoted by Agence France-Presse (AFP), this is the largest heat wave in 30 years.
Forest fires have already caused two deaths, three serious injuries in Greece and eight deaths in Turkey, where most of the fires have already been brought under control.
Today, the main problem facing the region lies on the mountainous Greek island of Euboea, the country’s second largest, where about 500 firefighters continue to fight fires in the north.
Among the firefighters involved in the fighting are about 200 from Ukraine and Romania, reinforced with seven planes and helicopters, according to the Greek fire services.
But the deputy governor of the island north of Athens, Giorgos Kylitzidis, estimated that “the forces are not enough” and that the “situation is critical” today.
According to the political official, at least 35,000 hectares and hundreds of homes have already burned, in a fire that spread on a main front about 30 kilometers.
According to Agence France-Presse, about two thousand residents of Obia have already been evacuated and transferred to hotels, while ferries and military ships are still on alert in case new evacuations are needed.
About 350 islanders were pulled ashore on Sunday.
On the Peloponnese, in the south of mainland Greece, the main fronts in the Mani, Elia and Messinia regions are still active today, after the forced evacuation.
According to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS), more than 56,000 hectares have already burned in the past 10 days in Greece.
Between 2008 and 2020, in an equal period of time, an average of 1,700 hectares were burned in Greek territory.
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