Greece fires – live: Rhodes state of emergency remains as flames reach outskirts of Athens
Fire Service spokesman Ioannis Artopios said 12 villages were ordered to be evacuated
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A wildfire has triggered a series of massive explosions at an air force ammunition depot in central Greece.
The depot was evacuated before the explosions, which shattered windows in the surrounding area. No injuries were reported, although continued blasts prevented firefighting teams from approaching the site.
Greek state broadcaster ERT said the facility is in the coastal town of Nea Aghialos near the Volos area.
The fire reached the ammunition storage facility about four miles north of the major military air base in Nea Anchialos. Local media reported that bombs and ammunition for Greek F-16 fighters were stored at the site
The fighter jets are reportedly being moved from the air base.
Fire Service spokesman Ioannis Artopios said 12 villages were ordered to be evacuated in the Volos-Nea Anchialos area.
Meanwhile, the blaze reached the outskirts of Athens, with 61 fires breaking out across the country in 24 hours.
Deadly wildfires on Greece’s mainland have killed two as wildfires spread in Europe and north Africa including Greece, Portugal, Turkey, Italy, France, Croatia, Spain, Algeria and Tunisia.
Environmentalists fear response of leaders will not be enough
“Our world is burning before our eyes,” the WWF has tweeted.
“We're deeply saddened by the wildfires roaring through Rhodes.
“The window for action is getting smaller. Scientists now warn of a 66 per cent chance of passing the 1.5C limit in the next five years.”
Meanwhile, Green Party leader Caroline Lucas has hit out at what she feels is a lack of action by government leaders.
She tweeted: “This week, staggering cognitive dissonance has been on display. As wildfires rage, Govt is u-turning on climate policies - ULEZ, energy efficiency, EVs - not advancing them. Why won't political leaders take #climateemergency seriously?”
Tory MP stokes tensions with tweet
Conservative MP Jonny Mercer has been accused of playing down the role of climate change in the wildfires spreading across Europe.
The Tory representative for Plymouth Moor View posted a picture of his holiday and said the wildfires were started deliberately.
“It’s hot in Europe, but smashing the mountains with my bro...” he tweeted.
“All that behind me has been destroyed by wildfires started deliberately... brainless stuff. Still, the mountains remain.”
He was met with several responses calling him out for not mentioning the climate crisis.
“#ClimateBreakdown does not start fires but it does make them more likely and more devastating,” Peter Cracknell wrote.
“Oh great, a climate change denier,” Colin Toms wrote.
Aerial view of Rhodes
A drone's view of the devastation caused by wildfires on the Greek island of Rhodes, as shared by Reuters.
Greek wildfires die down after burning for nearly two weeks
Wildfires in Greece abated on Friday after burning for nearly two weeks but emergency services worked to prevent new flare-ups in the central part of the country, where people had fled massive explosions at an ammunition depot the day before.
The blazes, fanned by rising temperatures and strong winds, have killed five people, destroyed homes, farms and factories and scorched swathes of forest land since July 17.
In the hard-hit area of Magnesia, wildfires reached an air force ammunition depot close to the coastal town of Nea Aghialos on Thursday. The blaze at the depot caused powerful explosions and the coast guard said people were forced to escape by land and sea to Volos, the regional capital.
Fighter jets stationed at a nearby military airport were moved as a precaution, a government official said.
The shockwave was felt miles away, causing glass windows of several shops to shatter, locals told Reuters.
“They’ve split open, they peeled off, the panels have fallen, they are split open, only metal is left, the ironwork,” said Dina Angeli, a local resident in Nea Aghialos.
Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias said on Friday he had ordered an investigation into the incident.
Firefighters praised for “super human” effort
Firefighters made a “superhuman effort” but failed to tame the rekindling blazes in the wider area of Volos and in Aghialos, fire brigade spokesperson Ioannis Artopoios said.
Dozens of firefighters worked in the area, assisted by five aircraft and a helicopter, as strong winds could cause new flare-ups, the fire brigade said.
The labour ministry urged employers in an industrial zone of Volos to suspend operations for a second day on Friday.
On the island of Rhodes, where more than 20,000 tourists and locals fled seaside hotels and houses over the weekend, wildfires have died down after scorching about 10% of the island’s acreage. But teams operated at several sites for an 11th day in an effort to fully tame all the fronts.
Prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Thursday that Greece needed to take more steps to combat the effects of climate change, stressing the need to improve fire prevention further.
‘A brief thread of key quotes from experts'
Climate change journalist Dave Vetter has shared some quotes about the wildfires and their cause and spread.
He described this as a “brief thread of key quotes” from experts on Twitter.
Here are some of those he has picked up.
Prof Guillermo Rein, Professor of Fire Science, Imperial College London: "The combination of heat, wind and people in the Mediterranean is mortal. There have always been wildfires in the South but climate change is making them larger, faster, and harder to stop ... "
Dr Thomas Smith, Associate Professor in Environmental Geography, London School of Economics and Political Science: "Human-driven climate change is increasing the likelihood and intensity of heatwaves. This is the second major heatwave in the Mediterranean this year ... "
Prof Stefan Doerr, Editor-in-Chief International Journal of Wildland Fire; and Director of the Centre for Wildfire Research, Swansea University: “Focussing mainly on ignition sources (there will always be some) distracts from the main issues ... "
‘It’s more than just humans that suffer in this crisis’
Mike Hudema tweeted footage from Spain where a thirsty deer was seen being given water in the middle of a burning forest.
He wrote:
“Heartbreaking. Firefighters in Spain rescue and give water to a thirsty deer in the middle of a burning forest during last years wildfires. Now more are burning. “
“It's more than just humans that suffer in this crisis. #ActOnClimate”
Suspected arsonist caught on film
A video has been shared on social media of what has been said to be an arsonist lighting a fire in Calabria in Italy.
It is understood that Italian authorities are looking into the matter.
This link was shared by Spectator Index.
From yesterday: Wildfires cause major explosions forcing reporter to flee live on air
Pictures: Wildfires felt around Europe and into Asia
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