greek wildfires 2021
Greece, August 2021. Amid the hottest and most long-lasting heatwave in the last 30 years, with temperatures reaching 47C, hundreds of forest fires broke out across the country.
According to the Hellenic Fire Service, 428 forest fires were recorded throughout the country, with the strongest of them in Attica, Peloponnese and the island of Evia. In the northern Evia, where the fires were burning uncontrollably for a week the tinder-dry pine forests, more than 2000 residents and tourists were forced to evacuate their villages by boat.
The negligence of the state mechanism to control the fire of Evia in its beginning, giving more importance to the extinguishing of the fire that threatened at the same time the northern suburbs of the capital, turned to ashes more than 50,000 hectares of forest area, agricultural land, dozens of houses and animals. The largest forest fire in the modern history of the country. This huge ecological catastrophe has also caused human despair in the region as the forest was the lifeblood of Evia, Greece’s second largest island, residents.
Kritsiopi Panayiota, 81 years old, reacts as a wildfire approaches her house in the village of Gouves on Evia island, Greece on August 8, 2021. Following a long heatwave period, the hottest weather Greece has seen for 30 years, thousands of residents were evacuated by boat after wildfires hit Greece’s second largest island.
Burned goats in the forest next to the village of Kerasia on the island of Evia, Greece on August 12, 2021. According to the breeder Kostas Aggelou, he lost more than 350 goats due to the wildfire.
Wildfire in Afidnes area at the northern east outskirts of Athens, Greece on August 6, 2021. / Κατάσβεση πυρκαγιάς στις Αφίδνες Αττικής , 6 Αυγούστου 2021.
View from the shore of of Pefki village during the wildfires in the northern Evia, Greece on August 8, 2021.
Locals work to extinguish the fire approaching the first houses of the the village of Gouves on Evia island, Greece on August 8, 2021.
Locals and tourists embark on a ferry which is waiting to transport them to mainland Greece in case the fire reaches the sea. Pefki village,Evia island, Greece on august 8, 2021.
Sheeps survived from the wildfire stands next to the damaged sheep pen near the village of Agdines, on the island of Evia, Greece on August 12, 2021.
Firefighters work to extinguish a wildfire outside the village of Galatsona, on Evia island, Greece, on Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2021.
A burning house in Agios Stefanos, north of Athens, Greece, on Friday, Aug. 6, 2021.
An elderly couple lying down inside a ferry used to accomodate local residents and tourists who evacuate their houses in the town of Pefki on Evia island, Greece on August 8, 2021.
A man reacts as a wildfire is reaching the town of Pefki on Evia island, Greece on August 8, 2021.
A Beriev Be-200 firefighting aircraft flies through thick smoke during a wildfire near Kapandriti an the northern outskirts of Athens, Greece on August 6, 2021.
A local resident uses a branch to beat back flames during attempts to control the wildfire outside the village of Kamatriades, on Evia island, Greece, on Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2021.
A family monitor wildfire as it approaches the village of Gouves, on the island of Evia, Greece, on Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021.
A wildfire burns through a forest area on its approach to the village of Gouves, on Evia island, Greece, on Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021.
A resident sprays water on the roof of a house as a wildfire approaches the village of Gouves, on the island of Evia, Greece, on Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021.
A panoramic view of the village of Gouves on Evia island, Greece covered with thick smoke on August 8, 2021.
Police officers and locals monitor the wildfire approaching the first houses of the the village of Gouves on Evia island, Greece on August 8, 2021.
A resident walks through a forest area as a wildfire approaches the village of Kamatriades, on Evia island, Greece, on Monday, Aug. 9, 2021.
Burnt trees in a forest following a wildfire near the village of Pefki, on Evia island, Greece, on Monday, Aug. 9, 2021.
A woman is sleeping in her car on the beach of the village of Pefki, where residents who evacuated their villages have been transported during the wildfire in northern Evia, on August 9, 2021,
Kostas Aggelou walks amid his burned goats in the forest next to the village of Kerasia on the island of Evia, Greece on August 12, 2021. According to the breeder Kostas Aggelou, he lost more than 350 goats due to the wildfire.
Shepherds drive away goats from fire during a wildfire near Afidnes region, north of Athens, Greece, on Friday, Aug. 6, 2021.
Firefighters and residents work together to extinguish a wildfire outside the village of Galatsona, on Evia island, Greece, on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2021.
An old olive tree burn in the village of Gouves, on Evia island, Greece, on Aug. 8, 2021.
Burnt plants in a nursery at Agios Stefanos outskirt of Athens, Greece on August 7, 2021.
A member of the media reports on the wildfire near Afidnes region, north of Athens, Greece, on Friday, Aug. 6, 2021.
Medical staff transport an elderly resident on a stretcher from a ferry where evacuated residents spent the night, in Pefki village, on Evia island, Greece, on Monday, Aug. 9, 2021. Thousands of residents were evacuated from the Greek island of Evia by boat after wildfires hit Greece’s second biggest island.
Flames rise above a forest area while volunteers and firefighters work to extinguish a wildfire in the Taxiarches region, near Athens, Greece, on Friday, Aug. 6, 2021.
Member of the Slovak fire brigade holds a hose as he walks through thick smoke during a wildfire near the village of Avgaria, Evia Greece on August 10, 2021.
The sun sets behind the burned mountain near the village of Gouves on Evia island, Greece on August 10, 2021.
A destroyed house from wildfire in Thrakomakedones outskirt of Athens, Greece on August 7, 2021.
Burnt forest and olive groves outside the village of Papades, Evia island, Greece on August 12, 2021.
A burned banner depicting a family at the beach, outside of the camping resort of Agia Anna village, Evia island, Greece on August 12, 2021.
Local resident Panagiotis Grilias walks at the yard of his house in the village of Galatsonas on Evia island, Greece on August 11, 2021. The wildfire damaged a few of his olive trees next to the forest area.
Residents and volunteers are waiting for the wildfire in order to help put it out, outside the village of Kamatriades on Evia island, Greece on August 9, 2021.
Yard of a burned house in Agios Stefanos outskirt of Athens, Greece on August 7, 2021.