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The Star
12 hours ago
- The Star
Greece arrests Georgian suspected of fuelling Chios fire with cigarette
Firefighters try to tackle a wildfire burning on Chios island, Greece, June 23, 2025. REUTERS/Konstantinos Anagnostou ATHENS (Reuters) -Greece has arrested a Georgian woman suspected of discarding a cigarette that helped trigger one of several wildfires razing land and threatening homes on the island of Chios. Blazes broke out on Chios in the Aegean Sea on Sunday and tore through 10,000 acres of mainly bush and pasture land in three days, Greece's climate crisis and civil protection ministry said on Wednesday. The fire brigade said in a statement that the woman was arrested on Tuesday night and that authorities were still investigating the cause of the fires. The Georgian was charged with unintentional arson, two fire brigade officials told Reuters on condition saw her drop a cigarette, one of the officials said. Though the wildfires were largely contained by Wednesday, hundreds of firefighters remained on Chios to prevent rekindling and bring all fronts under control, the Greek fire brigade said. At Europe's southernmost tip, Greece is often hit by wildfires during its hot and dry summers, but authorities say the fast-changing climate is fuelling more destructive blazes. The Greek government has paid hundreds of millions of euros in damages related to extreme weather to households and farmers and to update firefighting equipment. It has upped firefighter numbers to a record 18,000 this year in anticipation of a challenging fire season. They will be assisted by 294 firefighters from five European countries from July 1 to Sept. 15. (Reporting by Yannis Souliotis and Renee Maltezou; Writing by Angeliki Koutantou; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
The Star
2 days ago
- Climate
- The Star
Hundreds of firefighters battle wildfires on Greece's Chios island for third day
Firefighters try to tackle a wildfire burning on Chios island, Greece, June 23, 2025. REUTERS/Konstantinos Anagnostou ATHENS (Reuters) -Hundreds of firefighters were battling to contain wildfires at different locations on the Greek island of Chios for a third day on Tuesday after the island declared a state of emergency. Some 444 firefighters assisted by eight aircraft have been deployed to the island in the northeastern Aegean Sea to tackle the fires that have torn through swathes of forest and agricultural land and forced hundreds of villagers to evacuate in recent days. Chios is in the midst of the tourist season and authorities also want to prevent the fires reaching areas famous for producing mastiha, a natural resin harvested from mastic trees. Authorities issued a new alert on Tuesday, advising residents of a seaside village southwest of Chios town, the island's capital, to leave as white smoke rose over a nearby beach. Livestream from Greece's public broadcaster showed a helicopter spraying water over the area. "A lot of work is still needed to bring the wildfires under control," a Greek fire brigade official who requested anonymity told winds were complicating firefighting efforts, they added. Greece, Europe's southernmost tip, is often hit by wildfires during its hot and dry summers but authorities have blamed a fast-changing climate for fuelling more destructive blazes in recent years. Athens has paid out hundreds of millions of euros in damages related to extreme weather to households and farmers and to update firefighting equipment. It has hired a record 18,000 firefighters this year in anticipation of a challenging fire season. (Reporting by Angeliki Koutantou; Editing by Kate Mayberry)
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Climate
- Straits Times
Hundreds of firefighters battle wildfires on Greece's Chios island for third day
FILE PHOTO: A fireman looks at a wildfire fanned by strong winds, burning near the village of Karyes and leading to evacuation messages on Chios island, Greece, June 22. REUTERS/Konstantinos Anagnostou/File Photo FILE PHOTO: Firemen work to extinguish a wildfire, fanned by strong winds, which led to evacuation messages near the village of Karyes on Chios island, Greece, June 22. REUTERS/Konstantinos Anagnostou/File Photo Hundreds of firefighters battle wildfires on Greece's Chios island for third day ATHENS - Hundreds of firefighters were battling to contain wildfires at different locations on the Greek island of Chios for a third day on Tuesday after the island declared a state of emergency. Some 444 firefighters assisted by eight aircraft have been deployed to the island in the northeastern Aegean Sea to tackle the fires that have torn through swathes of forest and agricultural land and forced hundreds of villagers to evacuate in recent days. Chios is in the midst of the tourist season and authorities also want to prevent the fires reaching areas famous for producing mastiha, a natural resin harvested from mastic trees. Authorities issued a new alert on Tuesday, advising residents of a seaside village southwest of Chios town, the island's capital, to leave as white smoke rose over a nearby beach. Livestream from Greece's public broadcaster showed a helicopter spraying water over the area. "A lot of work is still needed to bring the wildfires under control," a Greek fire brigade official who requested anonymity told Reuters. Northerly winds were complicating firefighting efforts, they added. Greece, Europe's southernmost tip, is often hit by wildfires during its hot and dry summers but authorities have blamed a fast-changing climate for fuelling more destructive blazes in recent years. Athens has paid out hundreds of millions of euros in damages related to extreme weather to households and farmers and to update firefighting equipment. It has hired a record 18,000 firefighters this year in anticipation of a challenging fire season. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Climate
- Straits Times
Greek island of Chios declares emergency as wildfires rage for second day
Locals evacuate the village of Agios Georgios Sikousis, as a wildfire burns on Chios island, Greece, June 23, 2025. REUTERS/Konstantinos Anagnostou Firefighters and volunteers try to tackle a wildfire burning near the village of Agios Georgios Sikousis, on Chios island, Greece, June 23, 2025. REUTERS/Konstantinos Anagnostou Firefighters try to tackle a wildfire burning near the village of Agios Georgios Sikousis, on Chios island, Greece, June 23, 2025. REUTERS/Konstantinos Anagnostou A firefighting helicopter makes a water drop as a wildfire burns near the village of Agios Georgios Sikousis, on Chios island, Greece, June 23, 2025. REUTERS/Konstantinos Anagnostou Greek island of Chios declares emergency as wildfires rage for second day ATHENS - Greece on Monday declared a state of emergency on Chios island, where hundreds of firefighters have been battling wildfires for a second day as winds further whipped up the blaze, causing power cuts and the evacuation of residents. "The situation since yesterday on the island is quite difficult because we constantly have new fronts and resurgences and the climatic conditions are not favorable," Yiannis Kefalogiannis, the climate crisis and civil protection minister, said upon his arrival in Chios. He confirmed that 170 more firefighters will reinforce 11 teams of about 190 firefighters deployed on the island in the northeastern Aegean Sea, who were trying to prevent the conflagration from spreading to homes and areas known for producing mastiha, a natural resin harvested from mastic trees. Thirty more vehicles will reinforce 38 vehicles already deployed, assisted by 13 helicopters and four water bomber aircraft, Kefalogiannis said. Wind gusts complicated efforts to extinguish the wildfires, which have razed forest and pasture land as they barrel towards the north, west and south of Chios town, the island's capital, causing power cuts and forcing hundreds of villagers to flee to safety. Kefalogiannis said the authorities will investigate the causes of the fires which broke out at different geographical parts of the island. 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 to update firefighting equipment. It has hired a record number of firefighters this year, some 18,000 of them, in anticipation of a challenging fire season. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
