Greece races to tackle wildfires as winds set to resume

By AFP 27 July 2023, 2:05 pm

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A general view of smoldering forests after wildfires, near the industrial zone of the central Greek city of Volos on July 27, 2023 (Sakis MITROLIDIS / AFP)

Greek fire crews scramble to douse deadly wildfires raging for two weeks around the country before strong winds forecast for the day rekindle blazes.

Hundreds of firefighters backed by European Union reinforcements are struggling to contain the flames on the islands of Rhodes, Corfu and Evia, in addition to a new front that erupted Wednesday in central Greece.

“These are difficult and very sad days,” Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said.

Mitsotakis said Greece was “mourning four fellow citizens, the two aircraft pilots… and two who could not distance themselves from the inferno in time.”

Five bodies have been recovered from fire-stricken areas this week.