ATHENS — Dozens of firefighters battled to tame wildfires fanned by strong winds on the Greek island of Chios in the northeastern Aegean Sea for a second day on Monday (June 23) as authorities evacuated more villages.
Some 190 firefighters assisted by six aircraft were trying to contain the blazes and keep them away from homes and areas known for their production of mastiha, a natural resin harvested from mastic trees.
Gusts of wind on Monday complicated efforts to extinguish the wildfires which have burnt forest and pasture land, forced dozens of villagers to flee their homes for safety and caused power cuts, a Greek fire brigade official told Reuters on condition of anonymity on Monday.
Sitting at Europe’s hot southernmost tip, Greece has felt the economic and environmental impact of frequent wildfires in recent years that scientists say have been exacerbated by a fast-changing climate.
The country has spent hundreds of millions of euros to compensate households and farmers for damage related to extreme weather and acquire new and modern firefighting equipment to deal with wildfires.
It has hired a record number of firefighters this year in anticipation of a difficult fire season.
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