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Wildfires still raging in north-eastern Greece in Dadia forest area

DPA WORLD
Published September 02,2023
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Major wildfires burning in the Dadia forest area near the Greek-Turkish border are still raging out of control on Saturday, despite two weeks of efforts to contain them.

Some 600 firefighters are currently at work, aided by 122 fire-fighting units, eight fire-fighting planes and two helicopters, Kathimerini reports.

However, they are struggling amid impassable mountaineous terrain and densely forested areas, while strong winds keep starting new fires.

Officials say the danger of forest fires in parts of Greece remains very high to extremely high on Saturday.

The the islands of Euboea, Lesbos and Crete as well as the Attica region around the capital Athens are affected, according to the Civil Defence.

The extent of the fires this year are attributable to global warming, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told parliament last week.

He said the fires had been preceded in July and August by the hottest, driest and windiest summer since recordings began. He paid tribute to firefighters sent from across the European Union to help douse the blazes.

He vowed to provide swift assistance to people who had lost their homes, animals or businesses to the fires, and defended decisions to evacuate villages and hotels.

The bodies of about 20 suspected illegal migrants have been found in the forest area where the fires continue to burn.