Hundreds of firefighters worked tirelessly on Sunday to contain wildfires in Portugal, Greece, and Spain. Spain and Italy sent additional crews to assist Portugal in battling a large fire that had been burning for over three days.
Authorities in Thessaloniki, Greece’s second-largest city, warned residents to stay indoors and keep windows closed due to toxic smoke from a recycling plant fire. The blaze had engulfed the plant amid a wildfire.
Another wildfire erupted west of Athens on Sunday. The fire department deployed 155 firefighters, along with volunteers and specialized teams, 16 planes, and six helicopters. The fire spread through the pine forest in the Mandra area.
Efforts in Portugal
In central Portugal’s Vouzela, more than 1,200 firefighters accompanied by nearly 400 vehicles and 15 aircraft struggled to control a fire that started on Thursday. The blaze had scorched around 12,000 hectares (30,000 acres) by Sunday, according to data from the European Union’s Copernicus satellite mapping agency.
The EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid reported that Spain contributed 120 firefighters and 45 vehicles to aid Portugal. Additionally, three aircraft from Italy and Spain joined the efforts.
An Italian Canadair plane worked to extinguish a wildfire in Sao Joao do Monte, Portugal.
Portuguese media reported that by Sunday afternoon, the situation seemed to be improving, though some hotspots persisted.
Conditions in Spain
A wildfire in Spain’s northeastern Girona had burned nearly 2,200 hectares (5,400 acres) by Sunday. The Catalan Fire Service stated that controlling the blaze might not be feasible immediately, citing a perimeter of 40 kilometers (25 miles).
Toxic Smoke in Northern Greece
A swift-moving fire broke out at a recycling plant near Thessaloniki on Saturday evening, prompting evacuation alerts for three suburbs. Strong winds fueled the flames, necessitating the deployment of approximately 160 firefighters.
Oraiokastro Mayor Pandelis Tsakiris informed Greece’s state broadcaster ERT about damage to businesses and homes. A complete assessment would follow.
A 76-year-old man faced charges for allegedly starting the fire through negligence by sparking vegetation with his vehicle. He was set to appear before a prosecutor.
This fire came shortly after another blaze in a nearby area resulted in the deaths of a 12-year-old boy and his father.
Causes and Prevention
Brig. Ioannis Artopoios of the fire department explained on ERT TV that about 85% of wildfires in Greece stem from negligence, such as sparks from agricultural machinery, discarded cigarettes, and outdoor barbecues.
Greece experiences frequent, severe wildfires during its hot, dry summers. In 2018, a fire near Athens claimed over 100 lives. A 2023 fire in northeastern Greece was the EU’s largest recorded wildfire.
The nation is leveraging technology to address fire threats, exacerbated by climate change, by employing satellites to monitor potential fire outbreaks.