Authorities are mobilizing resources to tackle the wildfires on Chios, which have erupted into a serious crisis affecting local communities. With five separate infernos igniting in rapid succession, a state of emergency has been declared amid fears of arson. Evacuations in 17 localities have taken place, and damage reports indicate multiple homes and other structures have been lost.
The wildfires began with three significant outbreaks on Sunday, followed by additional fires early Monday morning, causing chaos across the Aegean island. Local officials have reported that firefighting teams, numbering approximately 190, are engaged in aggressive containment efforts. They are backed by 11 aircraft and helicopters, with more reinforcements arriving from Athens and Thessaloniki.
Local residents have been actively assisting firefighters, risking their safety to tackle smaller flames using various makeshift methods. However, challenges include damages to the local power infrastructure, leading to service outages and potential planned cuts in power to facilitate firefighting needs. The situation escalated to prompt Greece's Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Ioannis Kefalogiannis to visit Chios and express his concern over the unusual circumstances of the fires occurring simultaneously.
The island's past experiences with wildfires, like the devastating blaze in 2012 that harmed the mastic tree population, give context to the current emergency. This summer marks Greece's first major wildfire outbreak, testing the region's resilience in the face of ongoing climate challenges.
The wildfires began with three significant outbreaks on Sunday, followed by additional fires early Monday morning, causing chaos across the Aegean island. Local officials have reported that firefighting teams, numbering approximately 190, are engaged in aggressive containment efforts. They are backed by 11 aircraft and helicopters, with more reinforcements arriving from Athens and Thessaloniki.
Local residents have been actively assisting firefighters, risking their safety to tackle smaller flames using various makeshift methods. However, challenges include damages to the local power infrastructure, leading to service outages and potential planned cuts in power to facilitate firefighting needs. The situation escalated to prompt Greece's Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Ioannis Kefalogiannis to visit Chios and express his concern over the unusual circumstances of the fires occurring simultaneously.
The island's past experiences with wildfires, like the devastating blaze in 2012 that harmed the mastic tree population, give context to the current emergency. This summer marks Greece's first major wildfire outbreak, testing the region's resilience in the face of ongoing climate challenges.
