On Wednesday, heavy lightning sparked two fires on the Greek island of Thassos, according to the fire brigade. This occurred just a day after firefighting forces managed to control wildfires driven by unusually strong winds on two other islands.
Over 32 firefighters, supported by 13 fire engines, one aircraft, and two helicopters, were battling the flames that were consuming forest land on two fronts on the island in the northern Aegean Sea, located 306km north of Athens. Reinforcements from the nearby city of Kavala were anticipated throughout the day.
Scientists note that wildfires have become increasingly frequent and destructive in Greece in recent years due to climate change, often disrupting summer tourism as millions visit the country's islands. Normally, rainfall would be beneficial in areas that have been dry for months, but the accompanying lightning exacerbated the situation on Thassos.
Greece's civil protection service has issued warnings of more unusual weather on Wednesday and Thursday, predicting storms with a high frequency of lightning and hail, with central and northern Greece being the most affected areas. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis cautioned this week about a potentially dangerous summer of wildfires following a prolonged drought and unusually high wind gusts for the season.
Last year, forest fires in the north of the country resulted in 20 deaths and forced 19,000 people to evacuate the island of Rhodes. To detect fires early, Greece is increasingly utilizing drones to monitor forest land. The civil protection ministry announced on Tuesday that approximately 240 firefighters from countries including Bulgaria, Malta, Moldova, and Romania will support Greece's firefighting efforts from July until September.
