The worst wildfire front raging in Greece on Tuesday was located in western prefecture of Achaia, near the port city of Patras, with residents of the Kato Achaia district in the evening being notified by SMS message to evacuate the area as a precaution.
Three separate blazes were reported in the same prefecture on the day, with winds gusts of up to force 9 on the Beaufort scale fanning flames and smoke despite a huge fire-fighting operation underway by the fire brigade, local municipal crews and volunteers.
Similarly, a major wildfire in the north of the eastern Aegean Island of Chios (Hios) burned residences and businesses, with flames reaching the beach, at one point.
Two of the blazes near Patras were raging into the evening, meaning that fire-fighting efforts were even more difficult due to decreased visibility and lack of support from water-dropping and observation aircraft.
The Patras industrial park was particularly affected, as were highways leading into and out of the port city due to traffic diversions.
Two coast guard patrol boats and an anti-pollution craft, along with private vessels, were on standby along a portion of Gulf of Corinth coast off Patras in case an evacuation of residents was necessary by sea due to a wildfire that first erupted in the Platani site.
On Chios, an extensive wildfire front was moving from north to south, with one coastal town, Limnia, essentially cut off by the flames. Another four villages were evacuated.
