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Straits Times
9 hours ago
- Straits Times
Greece arrests Georgian suspected of fuelling Chios fire with cigarette
A firefighting helicopter drops water to extinguish fire at the area of Kontylopos on Chios island, Greece, June 24, 2025. REUTERS/Kostas Anagnostou ATHENS - 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 anonymity. Witnesses 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. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
9 hours ago
- Straits Times
Greece holds Georgian suspected of fuelling Chios fire with cigarette
A firefighting helicopter drops water to extinguish fire at the area of Kontylopos on Chios island, Greece, June 24, 2025. REUTERS/Kostas Anagnostou ATHENS - 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 Georgian was charged with unintentional arson, two fire brigade officials told Reuters on condition anonymity. Witnesses saw her drop a cigarette, one of the officials said. There was no official confirmation of the arrest or identity of the suspect. 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. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Climate
- Straits Times
Greece to reinforce firefighting teams on Chios as wildfires rage for second day
Firemen work to extinguish a wildfire, fanned by strong winds, which led to evacuation messages for villages, near the village of Karyes on Chios island, Greece, June 22, 2025. REUTERS/Kostas Anagnostou A fireman walks as wildfire, fanned by strong winds, approaches residential areas near the village of Karyes on Chios island, Greece, June 22, 2025. REUTERS/Kostas Anagnostou 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, 2025. REUTERS/Kostas Anagnostou Firemen and locals look at a wildfire, fanned by strong winds, which led to evacuation messages for villages, near the village of Karyes on Chios island, Greece, June 22, 2025. REUTERS/Kostas Anagnostou 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, 2025. REUTERS/Kostas Anagnostou Greece to reinforce firefighting teams on Chios as wildfires rage for second day ATHENS - Greece will send more than 170 more firefighters on Monday to reinforce teams battling wildfires on the Greek island of Chios for a second day, as winds further whipped up the blaze, bringing power cuts and spurring the evacuation of residents. "The situation remains critical as firefighting forces are still dealing with many active fronts, several of which being near hamlets," Greek government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis told a news conference. He said another 171 firefighters would be sent to the island in the northeastern Aegean Sea, joining about 190 assisted by 11 aircraft who were trying to prevent the conflagration from spreading to homes and areas known for producing mastiha, a natural resin harvested from mastic trees. 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. 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.
Straits Times
3 days ago
- Climate
- Straits Times
Firefighters battle wildfires on Greece's Chios island for second day
Firemen work to extinguish a wildfire, fanned by strong winds, which led to evacuation messages for villages, near the village of Karyes on Chios island, Greece, June 22, 2025. REUTERS/Kostas Anagnostou A fireman walks as wildfire, fanned by strong winds, approaches residential areas near the village of Karyes on Chios island, Greece, June 22, 2025. REUTERS/Kostas Anagnostou 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, 2025. REUTERS/Kostas Anagnostou Firemen and locals look at a wildfire, fanned by strong winds, which led to evacuation messages for villages, near the village of Karyes on Chios island, Greece, June 22, 2025. REUTERS/Kostas Anagnostou 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, 2025. REUTERS/Kostas Anagnostou 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 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. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Star
3 days ago
- Climate
- The Star
Firefighters battle wildfires on Greece's Chios island for second day
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, 2025. REUTERS/Kostas Anagnostou ATHENS (Reuters) -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 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 afast-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 hashireda record number of firefighters this year in anticipation of a difficult fire season. (Reporting by Angeliki Koutantou)
