Wildfires rage on untamed in Greece, Portugal and Corsica
Hot and dry weather stoked another round of wildfires searing across southern Europe on Sunday as firefighters in Greece, Portugal and the French island of Corsica struggled to corral the flames.
Greek authorities voiced suspicions that at least some of the several dozen fires that broke out on both the mainland and the island of Zakynthos over the weekend were embarked deliberately.
Over Four,000 firefighters were battling more than two hundred fifty wildfires in Portugal, which requested assistance from other European Union nations.
On Corsica, fires that have raged since Thursday compelled the evacuation of 1,000 people, authorities said.
The latest blaze in Greece commenced Sunday afternoon in a pine forest and had bruised as many as twenty houses by night in a town north of the capital. Kalamos, a town some forty four kilometers (27 miles) north of Athens, is a beloved vacation spot for Athenians.
Authorities said they have shut down a large portion of the local road network as the blaze expanded in several directions, including toward Athens. They also evacuated two children’s campgrounds.
Portugal Civil Protection Agency spokeswoman Patricia Gaspar said the country set an annual single-day record for fresh fires on Saturday, when two hundred sixty eight separate fires began. That surpassed the previous year-to-date high mark of two hundred twenty fires reached Friday.
While the weather isn’t helping, nature was responsible for igniting a minority of the blazes, Gaspar said.
“We know that more than ninety percent of the fires have a human cause, whether intentional of from negligence. Both are crimes,” she said.
Authorities believe a series of fires furious on several fronts on the western Greek island of Zakynthos were commenced deliberately.
The country’s fire service said there were “well-founded suspicions of foul play” after five fires broke out late Saturday and early Sunday, followed by another three later on Sunday morning.
Greek Justice Minister Stavros Kontonis, who is also the local member of parliament, said of the numerous blazes while visiting the island: “This is planned.”
The fire service said ten of the twelve fires searing on Zakynthos were still unchecked, with high winds making it difficult to control the flames.
A total of fifty three wildfires broke out in Greece on Saturday and several more did on Sunday, including on the island of Kefalonia, next to Zakynthos.
Authorities said the numerous blazes had opened up firefighting capabilities to the limit. Firefighting planes and helicopters cannot fly at night, adding another degree of difficulty. In Zakynthos, authorities were monitoring the progress of the flames with a petite camera-equipped drone, which provides information to firefighters on the ground, the fire service said.
Trouble controlling flames and forecasts calling for more hot and dry days ahead prompted Portugal’s government to ask other countries in Europe for help, Minister of Internal Administration Constanca Urbano de Sousa said.
Portugal has been especially hard hit by wildfires, including one that killed sixty four people in June, during a summer marked by high temperatures and a lack of rain.
Wildfires in Portugal this year have accounted for more than one-third of the burned forest in the entire 28-country European Union.
The EU’s Emergency Management Service said the amount of forestland blackened in Portugal as of Aug. Five was about five times larger than the average recorded in the country inbetween two thousand eight and 2016.
In southern France, fierce flames have ravaged some Two,100 hectares (Five,190 acres) of land since Thursday – with Two,000 hectares (Four,940 acres) burned in Corsica alone.
French Interior Minister Gerard Collomb said there have been no casualties from the fires thanks to the efforts by 1,200 firefighters and the air teams that carried out three hundred water drops in twenty four hours.
While the mainland fires were tamed over the weekend, the Corsica blazes were ongoing and still required “major means,” Collomb said.
Firefighters continued to fight wildfires in the Corsican towns of Manso and the hilly Pietracorbara.
Northern Corsica Prefect Gerard Gavory said over 1,000 thousand residents and tourists have been evacuated.
“> A firefighter attempts to extinguish a fire at a house during a forest fire at Kalamos village, north of Athens, on Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. Fires cracking out across Greece have opened up.
” /> A firefighter splatters water inwards the courtyard of a house during a forest fire at Kalamos village, north of Athens, Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. A total of fifty three wildfires broke out in Greece.
“> A firefighter sploogs water inwards the courtyard of a house during a forest fire at Kalamos village, north of Athens, Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. A total of fifty three wildfires broke out in Greece.
” /> A firefighter controls a wild fire approaching the village of Pucarica, near Abrantes, central Portugal, Friday, Aug. 11, 2017. Strong winds and rising temperatures stoked wildfires.
“> A firefighter controls a wild fire approaching the village of Pucarica, near Abrantes, central Portugal, Friday, Aug. 11, 2017. Strong winds and rising temperatures stoked wildfires.
” /> Flames rise during a forest fire at Kalamos village, north of Athens, Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. A total of fifty three wildfires broke out in Greece Saturday and more have done so Sunday, including.
“> Flames rise during a forest fire at Kalamos village, north of Athens, Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. A total of fifty three wildfires broke out in Greece Saturday and more have done so Sunday, including.
” /> Residents and volunteers wield branches attempting to extinguish a forest fire at Kalamos village, north of Athens, on Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. A total of fifty three wildfires broke out in Greece.
“> Residents and volunteers wield branches attempting to extinguish a forest fire at Kalamos village, north of Athens, on Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. A total of fifty three wildfires broke out in Greece.
” /> A helicopter drops its geyser over a forest fire at Kalamos village, north of Athens, on Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. A total of fifty three wildfires broke out in Greece Saturday and more have done.
“> A helicopter drops its fountain over a forest fire at Kalamos village, north of Athens, on Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. A total of fifty three wildfires broke out in Greece Saturday and more have done.
” /> A firefighter signals to a helicopter during a forest fire at Kalamos village, north of Athens, on Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. A total of fifty three wildfires broke out in Greece Saturday and more.
“> A firefighter signals to a helicopter during a forest fire at Kalamos village, north of Athens, on Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. A total of fifty three wildfires broke out in Greece Saturday and more.
” /> A resident attempts to extinguish a forest fire at Kalamos village, north of Athens, on Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. A total of fifty three wildfires broke out in Greece Saturday and more have done so.
“> A resident attempts to extinguish a forest fire at Kalamos village, north of Athens, on Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. A total of fifty three wildfires broke out in Greece Saturday and more have done so.
” /> A helicopter drops its flow over a forest fire at Kalamos village, north of Athens, on Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. A total of fifty three wildfires broke out in Greece Saturday and more have done.
“> A helicopter drops its stream over a forest fire at Kalamos village, north of Athens, on Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. A total of fifty three wildfires broke out in Greece Saturday and more have done.
” /> Flames and smoke rise from a forest fire at Kalamos village, north of Athens, on Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. Fires violating out across Greece have spread firefighting capabilities to.
“> Flames and smoke rise from a forest fire at Kalamos village, north of Athens, on Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. Fires cracking out across Greece have opened up firefighting capabilities to.
” /> Firefighters attempt to extinguish a fire at a house during a forest fire at Kalamos village, north of Athens, on Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. Fires cracking out across Greece have spread.
“> Firefighters attempt to extinguish a fire at a house during a forest fire at Kalamos village, north of Athens, on Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. Fires violating out across Greece have spread.
” /> A firefighter attempts to extinguish a fire at a house during a forest fire at Kalamos village, north of Athens, on Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. Fires cracking out across Greece have opened up.
“> A firefighter attempts to extinguish a fire at a house during a forest fire at Kalamos village, north of Athens, on Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. Fires violating out across Greece have opened up.
” /> A resident stands on a street during a forest fire at Kalamos village, north of Athens, on Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. Dozens of wildfires broke out in Greece Saturday and more have done.
“> A resident stands on a street during a forest fire at Kalamos village, north of Athens, on Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. Dozens of wildfires broke out in Greece Saturday and more have done.
” /> Smoke fills the air among burnt trees in the village of Pucarica, near Abrantes, central Portugal, Friday, Aug. 11, 2017. Strong winds and rising temperatures stoked wildfires in Portugal.
“> Smoke fills the air among burnt trees in the village of Pucarica, near Abrantes, central Portugal, Friday, Aug. 11, 2017. Strong winds and rising temperatures stoked wildfires in Portugal.
” /> The sun shines through smoke from wild fires in the village of Pucarica, near Abrantes, central Portugal, Friday, Aug.11, 2017. Strong winds and rising temperatures stoked wildfires.
“> The sun shines through smoke from wild fires in the village of Pucarica, near Abrantes, central Portugal, Friday, Aug.11, 2017. Strong winds and rising temperatures stoked wildfires.
” /> Firefighters control a wild fire in the village of Pucarica, near Abrantes, central Portugal, Friday, Aug.11, 2017. Strong winds and rising temperatures stoked wildfires in Portugal.
“> Firefighters control a wild fire in the village of Pucarica, near Abrantes, central Portugal, Friday, Aug.11, 2017. Strong winds and rising temperatures stoked wildfires in Portugal.