Wildfires rage across Chios
Wildfires have been raging across the southern part of the Greek island of Chios, fanned by strong winds. Greece itself has been hit by a number of blazes – the legacy of a protracted August heatwave – but there are suspicions that the Chios fire may be a result of arson, although authorities have not yet confirmed the cause. At the time of writing, no injuries have been reported, and many residents have already been evacuated, while others are preparing to do so. According to firefighters, Lithi and Vessa are the highest-risk areas. Local police, working in conjunction with the fire department, the military and volunteers and supported by helicopter crews, have apparently been ‘overwhelmed’ by the ferocity of the fire, and containing the blaze has proved to be a struggle.
Wildfires have been raging across the southern part of the Greek island of Chios, fanned by strong winds. Greece itself has been hit by a number of blazes – the legacy of a protracted August heatwave – but there are suspicions that the Chios fire may be a result of arson, although authorities have not yet confirmed the cause. At the time of writing, no injuries have been reported, and many residents have already been evacuated, while others are preparing to do so. According to firefighters, Lithi and Vessa are the highest-risk areas. Local police, working in conjunction with the fire department, the military and volunteers and supported by helicopter crews, have apparently been ‘overwhelmed’ by the ferocity of the fire, and containing the blaze has proved to be a struggle.
Wildfires are common in Greece during the summer months, but residents and officials are particularly worried this year – primarily about the effect that the fires will have on tourism numbers, which have already seen around a 50-per-cent drop due to foreigners’ concerns about the country’s financial state. Chios is heavily reliant on income from tourism, and there are also fears that holidaymakers currently visiting the island will be scared into cutting their trips short.