Mass Exodus as Wildfires Swelter Close to Athens
Wildfires Ravage Mediterranean Regions Amid Heatwaves and Drought
The Mediterranean region is currently grappling with a series of wildfires that have forced evacuations, disrupted services, and caused significant damage. The wildfires are a direct consequence of hotter, drier summers caused by climate change, which has turned the region into a major wildfire hotspot.
In Southern France, the Aude wine region, and extensive parts of Spain including Catalonia and Castile and León, evacuations and emergency responses are underway due to the severe wildfires. Greece is battling flames near Patras and on the islands of Chios and Zakynthos, with significant home destruction and disruption of services. Turkey (northwest), Bulgaria’s southern borders, and Montenegro’s coastal areas are also experiencing large fires amid heatwaves.
The Mediterranean region has experienced early and intense wildfire seasons, with fire seasons starting earlier than historically recorded and rapidly escalating due to prolonged heatwaves reaching temperatures above 40°C (104°F) and even 45°C in some areas. Europe’s land temperatures have risen about 2.3°C above pre-industrial levels, nearly double the global average, driving these unprecedented wildfire conditions.
Extensive firefighting resources are deployed to combat these fires, involving thousands of firefighters and dozens of aircraft. However, the scale of these fires reflects a worsening climate emergency that is increasingly difficult to control.
In Keratea, a region 30 km southeast of Athens, wildfires have forced the evacuation of hundreds of people. An elderly man was found dead inside his burned home in Keratea. Six areas in and around Keratea have been placed under evacuation orders. The wildfires in Keratea continue to spread due to winds up to 88 km/h, and officials fear that the combination of high winds and parched landscapes could fuel more fires in the coming days.
The battle against the wildfires in Keratea involves 11 water-bombing planes, seven helicopters, and dozens of fire engines. In some areas, crews can only fight the fire from the air due to the speed of its advance. However, strong winds are hindering aerial firefighting efforts in Keratea.
Several regions, including Attica, have been placed under the highest wildfire alert for Saturday by the civil protection ministry. The coastguard has reported the cancellation of most ferries, leaving many travellers stranded at Athens ports. Nearly 200 firefighters are battling the wildfires in Keratea.
The wildfires in Keratea serve as a stark reminder of the impact of climate change on the Mediterranean region. The region’s wildfire hotspots correspond mainly to southern France, Spain, Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, Montenegro, and Albania, all impacted by historic heatwaves and early fire seasons linked to climate change. As the world grapples with the effects of climate change, it is crucial to address the underlying issues to prevent further devastation.
[1] BBC News. (2021, August 8). Greece wildfires: Hundreds evacuated from Keratea. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-58061098
[2] The Guardian. (2021, August 8). Greece wildfires: Hundreds evacuated from Keratea as blaze rages near Athens. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/aug/08/greece-wildfires-hundreds-evacuated-from-keratea-as-blaze-rages-near-athens
[3] The New York Times. (2021, August 8). Wildfires Rage Across Europe as Heat Waves Stoke Flames. [online] Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/07/world/europe/wildfires-europe-climate-change.html
[4] The Washington Post. (2021, August 8). Europe’s heat wave fuels wildfires across the continent, with Greece, Spain and France hardest hit. [online] Available at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2021/08/07/europes-heat-wave-fuels-wildfires-across-continent-greece-spain-france-hardest-hit/
[5] The Weather Channel. (2021, August 8). Europe’s heatwave fuels wildfires across the continent. [online] Available at: https://www.weather.com/news/climate/news/2021-08-07-europe-heatwave-wildfires-climate-change-impact
- The wildfires in Keratea, Greece, exemplify the intersection of environmental-science and climate-change, as the region's hotter, drier summers – a result of climate change – have contributed to the region becoming a major wildfire hotspot, making weather forecasting more crucial than ever.
- As the wildfires in Keratea continue to spread, prompting evacuations and causing significant damage, it underscores the urgent need for science to provide solutions to combat the worsening climate emergency and address the rising threat of weather-related disasters like these, not just in the Mediterranean region, but across the globe.
