A massive forest fire, fueled by strong winds, dangerously approached several homes on Tuesday at the foot of Mount Penteli in the northern suburbs of Athens, according to firefighters and local authorities. Giannis Kalafatis, the mayor of Dionysos, one of the towns affected by the fire and located 30 kilometers from central Athens, told Skai Radio that the fire, which broke out in the afternoon, is "out of control." Major television networks interrupted their programming to broadcast live scenes from the affected areas at the foot of Mount Penteli, which typically experiences wildfires in the summer.
In total, 74 firefighters, supported by five helicopters and five water-dropping planes, are participating in the firefighting efforts, according to the firefighting service. However, winds of 38 kilometers per hour are hindering these efforts. A number of volunteers are also participating in combating the fire, which drew closer to the homes in the afternoon, as shown in footage broadcast by media outlets. Fire service spokesperson Vassilis Vathrakoyanis confirmed via Skai TV that "no one is in danger."
Smoke columns were visible and the smell of fire could be detected from central Athens, where temperatures reached 38 degrees Celsius. Mayor of Penteli, Dimitra Kihaya, explained to Skai Radio that the fire is spreading over a distance of "several kilometers." The governor of the Attica region, Giorgos Patoulis, stated that "the fire is expanding. It started in Stamata and spread to Rodopoli. Of course, there are damages. We have sent a large force to combat the flames." The fire has specifically affected Stamata, Rodopoli, and Dionysos in northern Athens.
Traffic on several roads has been interrupted. So far, no evacuation orders have been issued, but authorities sent messages to the phones of residents in the affected areas, asking them to "be ready to follow instructions." The messages add, "If you are in Stamata, Rodopoli, Ikali, Drosia, Dionysos, close the stoves, windows, and doors to prevent sparks from entering." Local media reported that some residents have left their homes.
Every summer, Greek forests, which suffer from drought due to the weather, experience fires ignited by strong winds. In July 2018, 102 people lost their lives when a fire swept through the coastal town of Mati near Athens, marking the highest death toll from a wildfire in the country. The fire broke out on the slopes of Mount Penteli, one of the three mountains surrounding the capital city of Greece. Enormous fires ravaged a large part of the Penteli forest in 1995 and 1998, paving the way for illegal construction—a very common phenomenon in Greece.
