Attica Wildfire Intensifies Amidst Helicopter Crashes
Two Bell helicopters crash during aerial firefighting as nearly 500 personnel battle blaze threatening communities and industrial zones.
Sarah Connor
A destructive wildfire is sweeping through western Attica, threatening communities and an industrial district outside Megara.
Two of the four crew members involved were found unconscious; the other two sustained light injuries. The crew consisted of two Greek and two Romanian nationals.
Nearly 500 Greek firefighters have deployed to the region, assisted by personnel from France and Romania. They battle a wildfire spreading through western Attica.
The blaze threatens communities and an industrial district outside Megara. Authorities ordered the evacuation of Kandili, Agia Skepi, and Toutouli.
Strong winds prevent firefighting aircraft from collecting water from the sea, severely hampering aerial efforts. Gale-force winds that fueled a fire near Porto Germeno have subsided, offering a localized reprieve.
Firefighters evacuated 254 people by sea on Friday, then another 12 on Saturday. This immediate threat to residents extends beyond Attica.
Flames also threaten homes on Kefalonia, forcing additional evacuations. Firefighters battle another blaze near Nea Tenedos in Halkidiki, further stretching resources.
This incident follows the death of a third firefighter in the Peloponnese earlier this week.
Historically, Greece grapples with devastating summer wildfires. The 2018 Attica wildfires claimed 102 lives.
In southwestern France, a wildfire scorched 420 square kilometers of forest in 10 days. Upwards of 10,000 hectares of land likely consumed by the blaze in Greece.
The Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office issued a general notice to British citizens about the high risk of wildfires in Greece.