A wildfire that swept through the pine forest around Siviri on the Kassandra Peninsula in Halkidiki, northern Greece, on Thursday is believed to have started after strong winds caused tree branches to strike a power pole and lines, triggering a short circuit whose sparks allegedly ignited the blaze, according to information reported by MEGA.
The blaze, which broke out shortly after 2:30 p.m. near an outdoor amphitheater in Siviri on popular Kassandra Peninsula, spread rapidly into dense pine forest. Strong winds, dense vegetation and difficult terrain hampered firefighting efforts, while flames reached heights of 20 to 30 meters in some areas.
The fire front extended for more than two kilometers and approached scattered holiday homes, prompting evacuations. A hotel in the coastal Fourka area housing children from Ukraine was also evacuated, while large numbers of residents and visitors attempted to leave the area, causing severe traffic congestion on the peninsula’s limited road network.
