A spate of wildfires in southern Greece on Friday coincided with one of the windiest days of the year in the country, as the seasonal winds known as “meltemia” since antiquity, kept ferry boats docked and civil defense authorities on high alert in numerous regions.
The worst wildfire erupted in the Keratea district southeast of the greater Athens-Piraeus area, claiming the life of one elderly man and several torched residences. Arid soil conditions and dry brushland, accompanied by gale force winds, enlarged the blaze to a perimeter of some five kilometers, according to media reports.
An evacuation was ordered in the wider district, reaching as far as the coastal resort of Palea Fokia.
The major fire-fighting effort was expected to extend throughout the evening and early morning hours due to the size and intensity of the blaze. More than 200 fire-fighters and volunteers were at the scene, operating 44 vehicles, with 18 water-dropping aircraft aiding in the operation before dusk.
The Keratea district has often been scorched in the past by similar wildfires.
A photo on the FB page of National Observatory of Athens meteorologist Kostas Lagouvardos, showing smoke from the Keratea wildfire (bottom), and the blazes in the northwest corner of Turkey (top right corner).
Further to the southeast, a wildfire erupted in the Helidoni site near ancient Olympia, in a forested area near the monastery of Panagia Sentoukiotissa. Residents of several nearby settlements were notified to evacuate.
The ancient Olympia site devastated in a 2007 wildfire that reached the gates of the renowned archaeological site.
Further to the west on the Ionian Sea Island of Kefalonia, a major wildfire erupted in the Karavadou site, with 105 fire-fighters at the scene operating 34 vehicles. Thirteen water-dropping aircraft assisted before dusk.
The blaze was reportedly under control by the early evening after almost reaching the historic monastery of St. Andreas (Andrew).
Gusty winds plagued fire-fighting efforts in all the locations.
A wildfire in mixed crops and forestland area near the city of Argos, in the southern prefecture of Argolida, in the northeast Peloponnese.
