Mount Parnitha will take more than a century to recover from the extensive damage caused by the fire

The climate of Athens will change, with higher temperatures expected and the likelihood of many more floods

Vast swathes of Pelion in central Greece were among the areas ravaged by fire last week. The smoke from the fire could be seen as far away as the Sporades island group to the east.

After the heat wave came the fires. Just as everyone was expecting a breath of fresh air, 307 fires broke out all over Greece. For the first time, the flames reached the heart of Parnitha National Park, burning the dense fir forest. More than 20,000 hectares of forest had been burnt by the weekend. The microclimate of the city has been affected. “The temperature will certainly be affected, and floods may become more common,” WWF Hellas Director Dimitris Karavellas told Kathimerini. The density of airborne particles was so high in Athens that it presented a health hazard. The really hot topic the public and politicians must address is whether this is the life and the city we really want.