The flames have been burning for four days straight. In the hills north of Athens, a wildfire that started as a small brush fire has turned into a deadly inferno, claiming at least five lives and forcing the evacuation of over 20,000 people. Today, British aerial tankers joined the fight, a sign of just how desperate the situation has become.
For the firefighters on the ground, it is a battle against impossible odds. The heat is relentless, the winds unpredictable. They work in shifts, their faces blackened with soot, their lungs burning from the smoke. One firefighter I spoke to, Kostas, told me: “We are losing ground. Every time we think we have it under control, the wind changes and it jumps the line.”
The British tankers, two Canadair CL-415 aircraft, arrived this morning at Elefsis airbase. They are a welcome sight, but they are not a miracle cure. Each plane can drop 6,000 litres of water or retardant, but the fire is spreading across a front of more than 30 kilometres. It is a numbers game, and the numbers are not in our favour.
Meanwhile, the human cost is mounting. In the village of Nea Makri, I met Maria, a grandmother who lost her home. She stood in the rubble, clutching a photograph of her husband. “We have nothing left,” she said. “The insurance won’t pay because it’s an act of God. But God didn’t start this fire. Someone did.”
The authorities have arrested a local farmer suspected of starting the blaze while burning agricultural waste. It is a familiar story in Greece, where budget cuts have slashed fire prevention services. This year, the government spent just €20m on firefighting, a fraction of what experts say is needed.
Back at the fire line, the mood is grim but determined. The British crews are being briefed on local conditions. They will fly in tandem with Greek helicopters, targeting the most dangerous pockets of flame. It is a joint effort, but it is a race against time. The forecast shows no rain for at least a week.
As I write this, the smoke is so thick it blots out the sun. The air smells of ash and despair. The firefighters will keep working through the night. They have no choice. But the question on everyone’s lips is: how many more fires will it take before we learn?
