ATHENS – Greece is grappling with an apocalyptic forest conflagration, now officially deemed “the largest wildfire ever recorded in the EU.” The inferno, blazing for an excruciating 11 days in the northeastern region of the country, has inflicted a harrowing toll, claiming the lives of at least 20 individuals and setting in motion an imminent “ecological disaster.”
A formidable contingent of 407 firefighters, along with eleven planes and one helicopter from the European Union’s firefighting air fleet, have been urgently dispatched to confront the blaze that has wreaked havoc north of Alexandroupoli.
Covering a staggering expanse of over 810 square kilometers (310 square miles), this voracious firestorm has devoured landmasses exceeding the boundaries of New York City, igniting widespread alarm.
Balazs Ujvari, a spokesperson for the European Commission, underscored the gravity of the situation, stating, “This wildfire is the largest in the EU since 2000, when the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) began recording data.”
The calamitous event commenced on August 19, unveiling a litany of tragic fatalities, with 18 of the 20 casualties being migrants, including two children, discovered in a region often exploited as an entry point from the neighboring Turkiye.
The northeastern enclave’s Dadia National Park, a sanctuary for avian predators, remains ensnared in the throes of the unrelenting blaze, as Greece’s fire service acknowledges their struggle to gain control over the unforgiving flames.
Forest ranger Dora Skartsis lamented the obliteration of the ecosystem, recalling a prior fire catastrophe in 2011 and remarking, “Everything that was regenerated since has been lost” in the recent cataclysm.
Skartsis, who also leads a biodiversity conservation group, bemoaned the profound tragedy, asserting, “We’re talking about a huge ecological disaster. The image is tragic.”
The conflagration’s reach transcends environmental devastation, as it compounds the economic hardships faced by the already impoverished region of Evros. The park nurtures logging, beekeeping, and tourism industries, and the ongoing devastation jeopardizes these crucial economic pillars.
In Alexandroupoli, the inferno exacted a gruesome toll on livestock, leading to the loss of at least 4,000 sheep and goats. Warehouses storing animal feed have been razed to the ground, accentuating the catastrophe’s multifaceted impact.
The European Union, spurred by the escalating severity of fire crises, has mustered a fleet of 28 aircraft supplied by member states to address blazes both within the bloc and its neighboring territories. A robust initiative aims to establish an autonomous, EU-funded air fleet of 12 aircraft by 2030, fortified to combat fire emergencies.
Balazs Ujvari elucidated, “If you look at the figures every year in the past years, we are seeing trends which are not necessarily favorable, and that calls for, of course, more capacities at the member states’ level.”
With Greece reeling under a barrage of relentless fires attributed to climate change, the EU’s swift air deployment underscores a collective commitment to crisis management. Janez Lenarcic, the EU’s commissioner for crisis management, affirmed the union’s resolute stance on effective collective action during times of adversity.
As the flames abate and the nation grapples with rehabilitation, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis convened a high-level meeting to strategize the region’s reforestation. The imperative to avert post-fire landslides by initiating flood prevention measures also resounded, particularly as the barren terrain anticipates autumnal rains.
With contributions from AFP
