A firefighting plane crashed on the Greek island of Evia on Tuesday as wildfires continue to rage across the country amid scorching heat wave temperatures. The incident occurred as Greece experiences its third successive heat wave, with temperatures soaring above 104 degrees in certain areas. The plane crashed shortly after disappearing into a canyon, and there is currently no information available about the crew on board.
The situation in Greece remains critical, with forest fires burning out of control and leading to ongoing evacuations. The islands of Corfu and Evia have issued evacuation orders, while a wildfire on the island of Rhodes has moved inland and is destroying parts of a nature reserve and mountainous forest areas. Residents, desperate to save their homes, have been using shovels to combat the approaching flames while enduring stifling heat. Firefighting planes and helicopters have resumed water drops at the break of dawn.
Vassilis Kikilias, the minister for climate crisis and civil protection, stated that the Greek Fire Service has been consistently battling forest fires on multiple fronts for the past 12 days under extreme conditions of heat and strong winds. They have faced over 500 fires, averaging more than 50 per day. The magnitude of the fires has resulted in the evacuation of more than 20,000 individuals, primarily tourists, from Rhodes, which has suffered significant damage along its southeastern coast.
International assistance has been mobilized to assist Greece in combating the fires. The European Union has dispatched 500 firefighters, 100 vehicles, and seven planes from 10 member states. Additional aid has been received from Turkey, Israel, Egypt, and other countries. Italy, also grappling with its own fires and extreme weather, has contributed despite its own challenges. While Palermo’s international airport on the island of Sicily temporarily closed due to an encroaching wildfire, flooding and power outages caused by a violent storm in Italy’s Lombardy region have resulted in the tragic death of a 16-year-old girl at a scouts camp.
Authorities in Athens have implemented measures to combat the heat, including resuming afternoon closing hours at the ancient Acropolis. European Union officials have attributed the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires across the continent to climate change, labeling 2022 as the second-worst year for wildfire damage on record after 2017.
As the situation in Greece remains critical, firefighters and emergency responders will continue their tireless efforts to bring the fires under control. The focus now rests on containing the blazes, preventing further destruction, and ensuring the safety and wellbeing of residents and visitors alike.
