Arson Suspected as Simultaneous Wildfires Ravage Greek

08:56 23/6/2025 - Πηγή: iEfimerida

Authorities are investigating suspected arson behind three simultaneous wildfires that erupted on the Greek island of Chios, as exhausted firefighters battled through the night to contain blazes that continue to threaten homes, farmland, and vital infrastructure.

The fires, which broke out Sunday in Kofinas, Agia Anna, and Agios Makarios Vrontadou—three separate locations across the island—within just 90 minutes, immediately prompted the deployment of the Fire Department’s Arson Crimes Unit.

Their swift arrival followed a direct order from the head of the national fire service, as suspicions mounted over the timing and pattern of the ignition points. Local police are also assisting in the ongoing investigation.

The fires have already scorched extensive olive groves and greenhouses, and caused damage to residential properties, including the complete destruction of a mobile home.

Strong winds have significantly intensified the danger, pushing flames closer to inhabited areas and severely complicating firefighting efforts on the ground and from the air.

More than 100 firefighters are now operating on the island, including elite forest commandos who were flown in from Athens aboard a military aircraft.

The comprehensive response force includes six ground teams, 23 fire trucks, two airplanes, and 11 helicopters, one of which serves as a command aircraft to coordinate aerial operations.

Reinforcements are continuously en route: 20 firefighters and 10 engines are arriving by ferry from Piraeus, while an additional 35 personnel are being flown in from Thessaloniki.

Furthermore, 35 more firefighters and five vehicles, along with the mobile operations center "Olympus," are also being transported by sea to bolster the efforts.

Heavy equipment from the North Aegean regional authority was shipped from nearby Lesvos to assist in carving firebreaks and slowing the advance of the aggressive flames.

For safety reasons, power has been proactively cut in parts of the island, including the areas of Omiroupoli, Amani, and Kardamyla.

The measure aims to protect both the electrical grid from damage and to ensure the safety of aerial firefighting crews operating overhead.

The local municipality has issued an urgent appeal for water, food, and medical supplies to support the large contingent of volunteer and professional responders. Temporary shelters with basic provisions have been established at Ormos Lo for residents who have been forced to evacuate or are seeking refuge.

These destructive wildfires strike Greece at the very beginning of a summer fire season that officials fear may be among the most dangerous in years, largely due to a combination of high winds, prolonged dry conditions, and increasingly warmer temperatures.

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