Tourists Rescued by Boat as Forest Fire Threatens Greek Beaches
Nearly 150 firefighters, boats and aircraft battled flames that destroyed 110 sq km of forest and injured two firefighters, officials said.
- Tourists and residents fled the Halkidiki resorts of Siviri and Fourka on Thursday as a wildfire fanned by strong winds engulfed houses and trees, forcing dozens to evacuate by land and sea during peak holiday season.
- Strong winds hampered firefighting efforts as the fire advanced with a 3km wall of flames up to 30m high, while The Greek authorities maintained a maximum fire alert across much of the mainland.
- More than 140 Firefighters and nine aircraft were deployed to battle the blaze, while the Coast Guard and 15 small boats evacuated beachgoers from the shoreline as smoke turned the sky dark gray.
- One firefighter was injured during the response, fire brigade spokesman Giannis Artopios told Protothema news portal, as traffic jams formed on roads leading away from the affected coastal towns.
- Across Europe, successive heatwaves have intensified drought, leaving vegetation tinder-dry and fueling wildfires in Spain, France, and Greece, with weather forecasters predicting winds of up to 100kph on Aug 14.
30 Articles
30 Articles
A forest fire has come dangerously close to the beaches of two holiday resorts in Greece. More than 250 people have been brought to safety by sea.
With children on their arms and in bathing suits: In the north of Greece, more than 250 holidaymakers had to be rescued by boat from approaching forest fires.
The fire, which began on Thursday afternoon, is located in a forested area about 90 kilometres south of Thessaloniki, Greece's second largest city.
A fire broke out in a dense pine forest on the coast of the Halkidiki peninsula in northern Greece this afternoon, threatening to engulf residential buildings. Evacuations are underway in the tourist-rich seaside resorts of Sivi and Fourka. 142 firefighters are battling the blaze, supported by nine aircraft and seven helicopters.
Tourists rescued by boat as forest fire threatens Greek beaches
Water bombing planes and helicopters and almost 150 firefighters battled the flames spreading across the Halkidiki peninsula, south of the city of Thessaloniki, the fire service said. Two injured firefighters were taken to hospital, the service added. Within hours of erupting, the fire bore down on homes around the popular resorts of Siviri and Fourka, which are packed with summer tourists. The region is dominated by flammable pine forests. Gree…
In the Greek Khalkidiks, forest fires approached residential areas, and local residents and tourists were evacuated urgently from the resort villages of Siviri and Furka.
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