Greek News

Greece: Wild Fires Destroy Forests in Greece Posted on Monday, July 02 @ 18:04:54 EDT by greek_news Athens.- Wildfires swept through Greece on Thursday and Friday , killing two people and destroying homes after days of record temperatures of more than 100 degrees that led to at least nine heatstroke deaths and extensive power cuts. Authorities evacuated a mountain hotel and casino complex, an air force radar station and a children's camp on the outskirts of Athens as a huge forest fire raged out of control through the Mount Parnitha national park. Of the total 50 fires that broke out in the last 24 hours, 44 have been brought under full control while the other six, in Ialissos Rhodes, Oinousses Hios, Koroneia Thessaloniki, Bourbourou Halkidiki, Hrisokelaria Messinias and Kantano Hania are under partial control according to a Fire Department announcement. Also the fires in Derbenohoria, Parnitha and Neohori Magnisias –where firefighters are continuing battling blazes from land and air- are showing signs of reduction. From Kavala, the President fo the Republic made a dramatic appeal for protection of the environment. The Prime-minister who visited the Fire Department Operation Center yesterday called all to be on the alert while he thanked firefighters, who at critical hours they fight with all their forces. In an interview with NET 105.8, Economics undersecretary, Hristos Folias apart from extreme temperatures clearly suggested arson and people with economic interests who want to exploit the burned lands as a cause of the large number of fires. A new meeting, chaired by prime-minister, Kostas Karamanlis, was held at the Maximos mansion Saturday to estimate the situation in the fire fronts. The fire on the Parnitha front is rekindling said Public Order Minister, Vyron Polidoras, adding that after yesterday’s battle against the 2 or 3 fronts they are under partial control. Civil Protection Secretariat calls on citizens to avoid activities in the country which could ignite a fire such as burning of dry branches, use of electrical devices causing sparks and drop of lit cigarettes and particularly avoid to light a fire for any reason and obey to signs prohibiting access to regions of high risk of fire. To immediately dial 199 if they discover a fire and to leave the region if they can not assist in efforts to contain the fire at initiation stage for their safety and to facilitate firefighters who will be arriving. In the meantime, Fire Department officers are considering possible arson in the Derbenohoria fire which spread to Mt. Parnitha while it is also investigating possible arsons as cause of other fires. In parallel, two Prosecutors have been appointed to supervise the Fire Department’s interrogations on the causes of fires in Attika. The country’s state and political leadership are highly concerned on the unprecedented large number of fires that broke out in the last days as well as the catastrophe they caused. The president of PASOK party, George Papandreou accused the government of lack of coordination and delay and spoke of a huge environmental damage on Mt Parnitha. In her speech in Heraklio, GCP general secretary, Aleca Papariga – who visited Parnitha- spoke of a crime. She among others said that all the region up to Tatoi should be defined as National park in order to effectively protect it. Certainly, she said merely its declaration as national Park is not enough but consists a base for prevention and forest protection. SYN party president, Alecos Alavanos blamed the two large political parties for lack of political prevention policy while LAOS president, Giorgos Karatzaferis spoke of inexistent state mechanism.

 

 

http://www.greeknewsonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=7089

 

---

I am using the free version of SPAMfighter for private users.
It has removed 756 spam emails to date.
Paying users do not have this message in their emails.
Try SPAMfighter for free now!