Wildfire

Greek PM Alexis Tspiras has arrived on the island of Thasos to inspect the situation and see the catastrophic effects of the wildfire that has ravages forests and farmlands for the past past 3 days. Tsipras arrived a little before 11 am on Monday morning in a military Chinook helicopter.

Authorities have declared a state of emergency on the island of Thasos in the northern Aegean Sea, as a wildfire that broke out Saturday is still raging. Ten houses have been burnt in the two villages, Mikro and Megalo Kazaviti, while the flames are threatening the village of Theologos. One fire-fighter has been injured.

A large wildfire is raging between the villages of Rogozinovo, Dositeevo, Kolarovo and Balgarin in the southern Bulgarian municipality of Harmanli on Sunday.

Ten firefighter crews, five teams of foresters and many volunteers are trying to extinguish the fire which has engulfed vineyards, orchards, pastures, bushes and a pine forest.

The catastrophic wildfire that broke out on Sunday and has forced all 88,000 residents to flee Fort McMurray in western Canada grew tenfold on Thursday, cutting off evacuees in camps north of the city and putting communities to the south in extreme danger, The Guardian reports.

With the wildfire season looming, the Hellenic Association of Fire Service Officers Thursday warned that the service lacks adequate equipment and vehicles.

Many of the fleet's vehicles are more than 40 years old and in dire need of replacement or repair, according to the association, which noted that firefighter uniforms are also in short supply.

A large forest fire broke out in the area of Selekanos, in the region of Lasithi, on the eastern part of Crete, Friday. The fire department has dispatched 15 vehicles and 38 men on the spot to contain the blaze. Sources say the fire started a little after 1pm.

Equipment and personnel of the Bulgarian Armed Forces are to join operations to put out a wildfire that broke on Sunday evening in the municipality of Zlatograd, Southern Bulgaria.

The blaze is raging in an area of about 100-150 decares (up to 0.15 square kilometers) but could expand deeper into the woods, local authorities believe.

A forest fire has broken out in Gabrovo Region, in central Bulgaria, BGNES reported on Sunday.

The blaze is spreading on several fronts and has engulfed over 10 hectares of deciduous and coniferous trees in Todorcheta area by mid-afternoon on Sunday.

Firefighters, army servicemen and volunteers are trying to contain a forest fire which broke out between two neighbourhoods of Smolyan city, in southern Bulgaria, on Thursday afternoon, bTV reported.

A major wildfire erupted near the western port city of Patras on Monday afternoon, burning forestland, scrubs and crops.

Two fire-fighters were injured during efforts to extinguish the blaze. The wildfire was reportedly brought under control in the evening.