Two wildfires on the Greek island of Salamina have prompted a major evacuation operation, with one blaze creeping towards the village of Kaki Vigla, a popular spot for British tourists. The fires have already led to the rescue of 502 people from maritime areas in Saterli and Kolones on the island's southern coast.
Blaze Details and Response
The alarm was raised at 2:43pm local time on August 16, according to The Mirror. A total of 260 firefighters and ten aerial assets are currently tackling the two fires. One fire is in the Peristeria and Selinia areas, while the other is spreading towards Kaki Vigla. Powerful winds are reportedly increasing the risk of rapid fire spread.
The fire in Peristeria is believed to have started in a garbage dump, according to local reports. A resident on Andromachis Street, who reported the blaze at 2:43pm, told emergency crews that the fire started from an adjacent plot of land full of garbage. A second fire broke out a few minutes later at 15:03 in Kaki Vigla, Selinia. The causes of both fires are now being investigated by the Arson Crimes Division.
Evacuations and Casualties
Emergency services in Salamina have treated nine people for burns. Three have been transferred to Thriasio Hospital with serious burns, while the others received first aid at the scene. Earlier reports indicated that four people were rushed from the Peristeria area to Salamina Hospital after suffering burns, and an elderly man rescued from his home in Kaki Vigla was also taken to Salamina Hospital.
The Hellenic Police has requested that two ferry boats be made available for evacuations by sea from an area between Peristeria and Kaki Vigla. Tragically, this afternoon the fire service reported that two bodies have been found while battling the Salamina fires, though they have not yet been identified.
Official Statements and Ongoing Efforts
Thodoris Zannis, deputy mayor of Salamina, speaking to ERT, said: "I am on the other front of the fire in Salamina, we are trying to stop the fire. It has taken over the entire mountain and is spreading, but the firefighting forces are being reinforced. People had to leave because there was no way out, so the messages started early. I have been informed that for the other fire in Peristeria, the ferries have also gone to evacuate by sea. The fire broke out at the same time and that was the strange thing."
Mayor Giorgos Panagopoulos said: "The situation is difficult. There are two major fires, homes are under threat, and we have asked the police to bring us two ferry boats to Saterli Beach so that we can use them for people if we see that the situation becomes much more difficult."
Firefighters are also battling a wildfire for a second day on the Greek island of Skyros, but the mayor, Kyriakos Antonopoulos, hopes it will soon be brought under control.
