(EUROKINISSI)
The wildfires began on Friday morning (31 July), with the first blaze breaking out near Xironomi in Boeotia at around 8:00 a.m. A second major fire soon followed in the Kalamaki–Agios Vasileios area.
During the day, strong winds pushed the fires towards Porto Germeno and then on to Psatha, Alepochori and Megara. The fire remains active.
More wildfires also broke out over the weekend, including in Pastra on Kefalonia, Skaloma in Phocis, Stathaika near Argos, Nea Tenedos in Halkidiki, Alonia on Samothrace and Chrysoupoli in Kavala.
(EUROKINISSI)
The two crew members of a Bell helicopter were killed on Sunday after colliding with another helicopter during a firefighting operation near Psatha.
The victims were a Greek fire coordinator and a Danish pilot. The crew of the second helicopter, a British pilot and a Greek crew member, were rescued.
The Greek Police have launched an investigation into the exact circumstances of the collision.
AMNA
Two people have been arrested in connection with the wildfire in Boeotia, which is believed to have started from a power line about 500 metres from a wind farm.
The suspects are an electrical engineer responsible for the project’s design and supervision, and the contractor who built the power line.
Authorities are investigating whether the fire was caused by a fault or sparks from the electrical equipment.
(EUROKINISSI)
Ιn Porto Germeno, local authorities estimate that more than 100 homes were destroyed, while the public broadcaster ERT has put the figure at around 200. Several vehicles were also burned.
In Boeotia, particularly around Xironomi, Kalamaki and Agios Vasileios, damage was reported to farm buildings, agricultural machinery, crops and livestock facilities.
An official assessment of the damage to property has not yet been released.
(fyiteam)
By midday on Sunday, about 7,600 acres had burned in Boeotia and nearly 20,000 acres in the Porto Germeno area, bringing the total to more than 27,600 acres, according to satellite mapping by the National Observatory of Athens/Meteo.
However, the total is expected to rise, as the wildfire in Attica continued to burn.
(AMNA/Orestis Panagiotou)
From Friday (31 July) to the early hours of Monday (3 August), 19 emergency 112 alerts were issued for the wildfires in Boeotia and Western Attica. Seventeen ordered residents to evacuate, while the remaining two were warning messages.
(EUROKINISSI)
Up to 496 firefighters took part in the firefighting operations in Boeotia and Attica, including 450 from Greece, 23 from France and 23 from Romania. They were supported by 22 ground crews and 134 fire engines.
