The situation at the main port city of Patras, which connects Greece with Italy, has improved this morning after a devastating night battling wildfires.
Fire service spokesman Vassilis Vathrakogiannis said that while the fire has not been completely extinguished, “scattered pockets” are being tackled in the eastern parts of the city, and the worst appears to be over.
According to Greek authorities, as well as data from Copernicus and the National Observatory in Athens, the fires have burned over 10,000 hectares of land in several areas of the country, including Patras, the islands of Chios and Zakynthos, and areas near the city of Preveza.
Police have arrested a 25-year-old man suspected of starting one of four fires that broke out near Patras on Tuesday.
Due to the proximity of the flames to urban areas, on Wednesday authorities evacuated a children’s hospital and a nursing home. Dramatic overnight footage showed flames encircling the city, while a customs parking lot with over 500 vehicles was completely destroyed.
Professor Alexandros Dimitrakopoulos from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki warned about the growing risk of urban wildfires:
“We have seen this in Athens since 2021, and now in Patras,” he said.
Fires are still raging on the islands of Zakynthos and Chios, as well as in the outskirts of Preveza. Around 600 firefighters and nearly 30 aircraft and helicopters have been deployed, with calmer winds this morning helping bring the situation under control.
Greece is enduring a difficult summer of massive wildfires fueled by extreme temperatures, which scientists say are directly linked to human-caused climate change.
