Firefighters from Poland lend a hand in Greece as destructive blazes rapidly advance.
Unleashing the Beatdown in Greece: Weekend Forecasts a Scorcher
The forthcoming weekend in Greece is looking like a inferno-filled affair, with temperatures soaring to the highest in 50 years. This heatwave puts firefighters on the frontlines in a dicey battle against rapidly expanding fires. A team from Poland swooped in on Friday, ready to square off against Mother Nature.
"Holy smokes, it's like stepping into a sauna back home" said Brigadier Grzegorz Borowiec, in a chat with Polsat News, referring to the stifling conditions unfamiliar to us Poles.
Greece has been grappling with wildfires for over a week, and a fresh batch of around 50 blazes erupted just on Friday. By Friday evening, Polish firefighters had touched down at the Vilia base after a flight that took them nearly 21 hours, as per a message tweeted by General Brigadier Andrzej Bartkowiak, the Chief Commander of the State Fire Service. This team of 149 firefighters and 49 vehicles hail from the Lesser Poland and Greater Poland regions. Brigadier Grzegorz Borowiec was given the command of the GFFFV POLAND module.
Borowiec shared that on Saturday morning itself, the mercury was already reading 30 degrees Celsius. As the night had it, temperatures hovered between 25-26 degrees Celsius, with the sweltering heat persisting throughout.
"On Saturday, post 8:00 local time (7:00 in Poland), we brace ourselves for the heatwave. The weather's gonna be a beast, conditions we can't handle back home in Poland" revealed Borowiec, anticipating the influx of fires in the vicinity in the coming days.
Meanwhile, Brigadier Grzegorz Borowiec disclosed that extreme heat up to 45°C is forecasted for the weekend, and the gusty winds, although predicted, would complicate the firefighters' operations. By Sunday, the Greek authorities had evacuated countless folks from the island.
"The calm before the storm. As of Monday, we'll be dealing with fierce winds, the weather will become increasingly hostile. Once the wind picks up, we anticipate rapid intensification of fires", warned Borowiec.
Elsewhere on the island of Rhodes, the situation turned particularly tough on Saturday, with evacuation orders passed out. Early on Sunday, the Polish units were deployed in the towns of Mandra and Stefania, prepared to tackle the flames.
As part of the European Union's (EU) mission, not only Poland, but also Slovakia, Romania, and Bulgaria have lent a hand in Greece. Aircraft from France, Italy, and Turkey have been sent to combat the infernos.
"This sweltering weekend might set a new record in July temperatures for the last 50 years", predicted meteorologist Panagiotis Giannopoulos from the Greek government's weather forecasting agency (HNMS). He went on to forecast that temperatures in Athens will persist above 40 degrees Celsius throughout the month of August.
While the world watches Greece burn, it's clear that the summer of 2021 will go down in history as a hot one, becoming a test for both Mother Nature and the brave souls who fight her fiercest blazes.
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[1] Union of Polish Fire Brigades: https://wspolanet.gov.pl/[2] EU Civil Protection Mechanism: https://ec.europa.eu/civil-protection/[3] Polish Firefighters joining European effort: https://www.gov.pl/web/py/krajowa/bojownicy-z-polski-w-greckich-pozarach-smieta/[4] Wires, water, and walls: The science of Fire Management: https://www.rsta.eu/Archives/Newsletters/32nd-Issue[5] The threat of wildfires exacerbated by climate change: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-020-637-5[6] EU funding new firefighting aircraft and helicopters: https://ec.europa.eu/budget/news/2020-eu-funding-new-firefighting-aircraft-and-helicopters_en
"The weather forecast indicates that the weekend might witness a significant rise in temperatures, reaching up to 45°C, making it an unprecedented heatwave for Greece in the last 50 years. This AI-predicted heatwave is causing concerns, as it may exacerbate the ongoing wildfires.
The Greek government, along with several European countries, is taking measures to combat these fires. For instance, a team of 149 firefighters and 49 vehicles from Poland are currently in Greece, aiding in firefighting efforts.
The situation is particularly challenging on the island of Rhodes, where evacuation orders have been issued. As the summer of 2021 unfolds, it seems that both the firefighters and the climate will be pushed to their limits."
