Forest fires ravage Greece
Dozens of fires ravaged thousands of hectares of land yesterday, killing two people, as an ebbing heat wave continued to provoke blackouts across the country. Fires were reported from more than 100 sites – some the continuation of blazes that started on Wednesday. Two men, aged 36 and 42, died in Aghia, near Larissa in central Greece, after their truck was surrounded by flames. A third man in the truck escaped unharmed. Apart from Larissa, the worst of yesterday’s fires were in Pelion and in Dervenohoria, Viotia. The work of firefighters in Dervenohoria was hampered after buried World War Two mines exploded in the area. The blaze was still spreading last night as strong winds fanned the flames in the direction of Mount Parnitha. Local hotels and the casino were evacuated and firefighters erected a barrier to stop the fire spreading to the other side of the mountain. Of some 120 fires to have broken out since Wednesday, most had been extinguished by last night. Fire officials believe some of the blazes may have been the work of arsonists. A total of 24 water-dropping aircraft and 13 helicopters were mobilized to assist rescue efforts on the ground. France and Italy sent two firefighting planes each after Greece appealed to the EU for help. «We are facing an unprecedented situation,» Interior Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos told reporters yesterday after briefing Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis. According to Health Ministry officials, at least nine people have died of heat-related health problems since last Friday. Meanwhile, many parts of the country were hit by power outages, some lasting for hours, due to increased energy consumption. Although temperatures dropped significantly from Tuesday’s 46 Celsius (115 Fahrenheit) high, the heat was still oppressive and air conditioners were still on overdrive. An explosion at an electricity substation in Thessaloniki sparked blackouts across most of northern Greece. The Public Power Corporation (PPC) said the explosion, which caused no injuries, was caused by a malfunctioning transformer that was being repaired. By late yesterday, parts of northern Greece were getting their power back.
