Wildfire near Athens extinguished after almost three days

The large forest fire that raged for almost three days near Athens has been extinguished, reported Greek authorities today/Wednesday. Firefighters continue to monitor the area northeast of the Greek capital to prevent remaining embers from reigniting in the charred fields, forests and remote neighbourhoods.

According to the Greek newspaper Kathimerini, the fire may have been caused by a broken power pylon on Sunday afternoon. The authorities have investigated the site and collected evidence.

There is still a lot of disbelief about how fast the fire spread and how close it came to the city. There is criticism on social media about the fire department's allegedly slow response. However, civil protection minister Vassilis Kikilias said that the first firefighting helicopter was on the scene just four minutes after the fire broke out. He posted a video on social media to back up his claim.

The fire destroyed numerous buildings and vehicles in the northeastern suburbs of Athens. One person died and thousands of people were evacuated.

^{Relatives comfort each other after looking at the damage to their burnt home following a wildfire that hit the north-eastern suburbs of Athens, in Chalandri, on 13 August 2024 © BELGA PHOTO Angelos TZORTZINIS / AFP}