The flames are winning. A wildfire tearing through the Greek countryside has spiralled into an inferno, with firefighters fighting a losing battle against the wind and heat. Sources on the ground confirm the blaze has consumed thousands of hectares of land, forcing mass evacuations and leaving entire villages in jeopardy.
The fire, which began earlier this week, has spread with alarming speed, fuelled by drought conditions that have turned forests into tinderboxes. Emergency services are stretched thin, and the government has called for international assistance. But the question on everyone’s lips is: how did this happen again?
Greece has been battling wildfires for years, and each summer brings the same scenes of devastation. The pattern is familiar: dry weather, high winds, and a lack of resources. But behind the smoke lies a trail of failed policies and neglected warnings.
Environmental groups have long warned that budget cuts to firefighting services and poor land management would lead to disaster. Now that disaster is unfolding live on our screens. The economic cost is mounting alongside the human toll.
Insurance companies will be counting their losses. And as the fire rages, we can only watch and wait. But we must also ask: who will be held accountable when the flames finally die down?
