Wildfires in Greece Enter Their Tenth Day… Dozens of Casualties

Firefighting teams in Greece are making strenuous efforts today, Monday, to extinguish a massive fire that has claimed the lives of at least 20 people over the past ten days. This is the largest wildfire in Europe this summer, as unprecedented heat waves have sparked wildfires across the continent. The fire, which started near the city of Alexandroupolis, has gotten out of control in the Evros region in northeastern Greece, fueled by strong winds and rising temperatures. All the fatalities so far have been among irregular migrants hiding in the forest, except for one individual. Government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis said in a regular briefing, "This defines what we describe as a massive fire." The European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Agency reported that the Evros fire has consumed more than 77,000 hectares of land, making it one of the largest fires on the European continent in years. Marinakis stated that government ministers have visited the area to assess the damage. Members of parliament are expected to discuss the impact of the devastating fires and the state’s preparedness on Thursday. Dozens of people have been forced to flee their homes across Greece as hundreds of wildfires have erupted.