Firefighters trying to put out 73 wildfires in Greece; Xironomi, Kalamaki fires the toughest

Efforts are ongoing to put out 73 fires in Greece, said Fire Brigade Director of Strategic Planning and Communications Department, Chief Fire Officer Vassilis Vathrakogiannis during an extraordinary briefing on Friday, but the most difficult ones are in Kalamaki and Xironomi, both in Boeotia (Viotia), due to the terrain and the gale-force winds.

Regarding the fire at Poikilon Oros, the low mountain in the western sector of Athens, Vathrakogiannis said that there were 95 firefighters with 6 forest firefighter units, volunteers, and 22 fire engines with the help of water tankers from the Region of Attica working to extinguish the blaze. Priority has been the Psychiatric Hospital of Dafni. A total of 7 aircraft and 7 helicopters have also been operating, one of the latter serving to coordinate action by air.

The Fire Brigade spokesperson stressed that several emergency alerts had been sent by 112 message to warn residents in the area to evacuate, as the fire was spreading to residences. Aerial firefighting means have been hampered in many instances in drawing water because of gale-force winds affecting flight safety.

The fires in Archontochori near Amfilochia (western Greece),…