“Tragic wildfire near Xylokastro in southern Greece claims two lives. Firefighters make progress in controlling the blaze amid extreme conditions.”
Tragically, two people died overnight because of a big fire that’s been spreading through forests in southern Greece, close to the well-known beach town of Xylokastro.
The fire started on Sunday and the authorities quickly got to work.
By the morning of Monday, about 350 firefighters, along with 18 planes that drop water, had mostly brought the fire under control in the Peloponnese area.
Even though there were still some small fires, the main part of the fire was out, which was a big relief for the area.
To keep everyone safe, a few villages were evacuated at night, but the officials said Xylokastro was safe.
The fire got worse because of strong winds and dry weather from a really warm spring and summer, made even hotter by climate change, which makes fires more likely.
The two people who died were reported missing late Sunday and are thought to be from the area.
Luckily, there haven’t been any more reports of missing people or homes damaged in the area, which is about 150 kilometers (93 miles) southwest of Athens.
Wildfire in southern Greece leaves 2 people dead https://t.co/uFj5oXADMC
— The Associated Press (@AP) September 30, 2024
In another part of the country, a fire near Andravida in the western Peloponnese was also brought under control by Monday, but the firefighters are still keeping an eye out for any other fires.
Fighting wildfires in Greece is a constant battle, especially in the summer when the weather is perfect for fires to spread.
Lately, the country has had over 4,500 wildfires, which is making people worried about how bad this fire season is going to be, with some saying it’s the worst in 20 years.
The government has spent a lot of money on planes that drop water, drones to warn people, and other important gear to help put out fires quickly.
But, earlier this August, a big fire destroyed homes in the mountains north of Athens and took one life.
On the bright side, this summer’s total area burned is about 25% less than the average for the last 20 years, which is good news in the middle of all the challenges that wildfires bring to Greece and other countries in southern Europe.