Fire Brigade officials in Crete are troubled by the fact that 16 fires broke out in the early hours of Wednesday, 8 in Heraklio, 4 in Rethymno and another 4 in Chania. Most of the fires were small and dealt with immediately, however the four fronts that broke out Chania at about 23:30 on Tuesday evening threatened homes and caused damaged to the exterior of business facilities.
A team of experts from the Fire Brigade’s Arson Response Directorate will be dispatched later in the day near Chania to determine whether the fires was a result of arson. The Minister of Public Order Nikos Dendias will visit Chania tomorrow and discuss matters of forest fire prevention in tourist areas.
Fires ravaging Peloponnesian countryside
The fire in Kyparissia broke out at around 10.30pm on Tuesday evening, near the highway connecting the city to Filiatra. The strong wings fuelled the fire which threatened a number of houses and businesses and has so far burned many acres of olive trees. The Fire Brigade of the Municipality of Trifylia, volunteers and ordinary people have been trying to extinguish the fire all night. At present the fire appears to have subsided and the 55 fire fighters with 19 vehicles are attempting to set it under control.
In Areopoli the Fire Brigade has committed 27 fire-fighters and 12 vehicles to tackle a forest fire in Triantafyllia, which broke out at about 1:50am on Wednesday morning. The strong winds (10 on the Beaufort scale) have fuelled the fire which is through low vegetation and olive groves.
Fires in Paros and Kefalonia
A fire that broke out just before midnight in Paros has been set under control. The island’s fire brigade is dealing with two fronts, one at Pounta and another at Kampos and Glysidia. The fire that broke out in Lixouri of Kefalonia is under control.
