A massive all-out effort to contain fires raging in the Attica Region on Monday involved 702 firefighters and 27 forest command firefighters with 199 fire trucks, 35 aerial assets and volunteers.
Two fire trucks were engulfed by flames and destroyed during efforts to put out the fire west of Neos Voutzas on Monday afternoon. A firefighter had superficial burns, while the other three in the fire trucks were not injured.
In other related news, the National Observatory of Athens’ observation station at Lofos Koufou on Penteli mountain is no longer threatened by an encroaching fire after the Fire Department intervened.
High-risk dry conditions and high-velocity winds made putting the fires out more difficult by the Fire Department and volunteers, while the highly risky weather phenomena are expected to continue into Tuesday, the Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Ministry warned.
According to information by the Civil Protection on Monday afternoon, firefighters are focusing on the following main fronts: Daou Pentelis, Palea and Nea Penteli, Dionyssos, Vrilissia, and Afidnes.
The front at Afidnes is looking better, the sources said, while the front heading to Marathonas has shown improvement.
According to a Facebook post by meteo.gr, the fire is also threatening the facilities of the National Observatory of Athens at Lofos Koufou on Penteli mountain, “threatening significant facilities, technology, and years of hard research work and efforts.”
Fire Brigade Spokesperson: Flare-ups and spot fires create new hotspots rapidly
Situation remains extremely difficult in parts of northeastern Attica due to the wildfire that has been unfolding since Sunday, emphasized spokesperson for the Fire Brigade Vasilis Vathrakogiannis, during an emergency briefing on Monday.
Vathrakogiannis highlighted that flare-ups and spot fires are continuous, creating new hotspots and spreading rapidly, aided by very strong winds. “Currently, firefighting forces are tackling fronts in Daou Penteli, Old and New Penteli, Marathon towards Grammatiko, Dionysos and Patima in Vrilissia. The situation has improved in Afidnes and Kalentzi,” he noted.
Additionally, he reported that 30 alerts have been issued through 112, most recently for the evacuation of residents from New and Old Penteli, Patima in Halandri, Patima in Vrilissia, Krassa Ano Vrilissia, as well as from Dionysos and Kalentzi Marathon, to safe locations. Vathrakogiannis also mentioned that, as a precaution, the Amalia Fleming General Hospital in Melissia was evacuated earlier and patients were transferred to the “Pamakaristos” hospital.
Regarding Greece’s request for assistance, the European Civil Protection Mechanism has responded with aid from France which is sending a helicopter expected to arrive on Monday, Italy, which is dispatching two aircraft expected to arrive on Tuesday and the Czech Republic, which is sending 75 firefighters and 25 vehicles, also expected to arrive on Tuesday.
