2007 Greek forest fires
2007 Greek forest fires | |
---|---|
Date(s) | 28 June 2007[1] - 3 September 2007[2] |
Location | Greece: Peloponnese, Attica and Euboea |
Statistics | |
Burned area | 270,000 hectares (2700km²), 670,000 acres |
Impacts | |
Deaths | June: 9[3] July: 5[4] August: 67[4] September: 4[5] Total: 85 |
Non-fatal injuries | Exact number unknown - number believed to be several dozen people. |
Ignition | |
Cause | heat wave, arson,[6] and wind |
The 2007 Greek forest fires were a series of massive forest fires that broke out in several areas across Greece throughout the summer of 2007. The most destructive and lethal infernos broke out on 23 August, expanded rapidly and raged out of control until 27 August, until they were finally put out in early September. The fires mainly affected western and southern Peloponnese as well as southern Euboea. The death toll in August alone stood at 67 people.[5] In total 85 people lost their lives because of the fires, including several fire fighters.[3][4][5]
Some of these firestorms are believed to be the result of
A total of 2,700 square kilometers (670,000 acres) of forest, olive groves and farmland were destroyed in the fires, which was the worst fire season on record in the past 50 years.[8][9] Of the total of 2,700 km2, 1,500 km2 (370,000 acres) were burnt forests in Southern Greece alone which meant that 4% of Greece's total forest area burnt in 2007 alone.[8][10] Many buildings were also destroyed in the blaze. The fire destroyed 1,000 houses and 1,100 other buildings, and damaged hundreds more.[11]
Timeline
June
The first major fire of the summer of 2007 was started on 28 June 2007.
The magnitude of the devastation was unforeseen.
July
On 11 July 2007, another wildfire sparked at a garbage dump near
In Peloponnese around 20 July 2007, a fire which started from the mountains over the town of Aigio expanded rapidly towards Diakopto and Akrata, destroyed a large area of forests and cultivated land. In the same fire many villages were totally or partially burned, resulting in the loss of 230 houses and 10 churches; three people lost their lives. A 26-year-old farmer and a 77-year-old woman were arrested on suspicion of arson concerning the fires in Aigio and Diakopto. The farmer confessed and is currently held in prison.[17]
August
Fires continued, on 17 August 2007 they started to burn on the outskirts of Athens.
On 24 August 2007, fires broke out in Peloponnese, Attica and Euboea. In Peloponnese, the fire burnt many villages and accounted for 60 deaths.[19] Six people were reported to have been killed in the town of Areopoli.[19][20] In Zacharo, one of the worst hit areas, more than 30 people were found dead by firefighters while searching burning cars and homes.[19]
On 25 August 2007, fires broke out on Mount Hymettus and in the suburb of Filothei in Athens. Officials said these fires were the result of arson, as the firefighters found many bottles with gasoline in affected areas. Arson is also suspected for the fires in Peloponnese, as more than 20 fires started at about the same time.[19] Two fires broke out in Keratea and one in Markopoulo Mesogaias in East Attica on 25 August 2007.[19][23] The first fire was not under control until the following day, while the second was put out quickly.[23] The Keratea fire had a length of 12 kilometres (7 mi) and a man was hospitalised with second degree burns. The fire at Lagonissi was reported as an accident, as they were started when a man accidentally set fire to a tree in his garden.[23]
The fires at Olympia
September
The fires continued to burn into early September. On 1 September 2007, firefighters were still suppressing a strong blaze in Peloponnese.[29] Three blazes remained, with the fires destructive path continuing in Arcadia and Mt. Parnon in Laconia.[29] Then, on 3 September 2007 a lightning strike started a new fire on Mt. Vermion, which was soon brought under control by firefighters.[2] On 5 September the death toll reached 67,[30] and on 21 September reached 68.[5]
International assistance
When the August fires broke out,
- Austria – Two helicopters, two planes, one transport plane, and 20 firefighters.[31]
- Cessna L-19 spotter plane from British Columbia.[32]
- Croatia - Two Canadair CL-415 firefighting aircraft.[31]
- Cyprus – 12 firefighting vehicles, 98 firefighters, 29 civil defense personnel.[31][33]
- Czech Republic – One helicopter with a five-member crew.[31] (Declined.)
- Denmark – Six firefighting all-terrain vehicles, which are able to scale steep slopes.[31]
- Finland – Three helicopters, 25 firefighters[31] and 2-3 forest fire experts.[34] (Declined as the equipment was not suitable - Finland assisted in reconstruction instead.)
- Hungary – Two fire engines, 18 firefighters, one doctor, as well as additional equipment.[31]
- Israel – Three helicopters and 55 firefighters.[33][36]
- Italy – One Canadair CL-415 water-tanker plane.[31][33]
- Norway – One Bell 214 firefighting helicopter.[31][33][37]
- water bomber and six personnel.[31]
- Romania – One Mil Mi-17 helicopter with a nine-member crew and one airplane.[31][33]
- Russia – Five Kamov Ka-27 helicopters, six Mil Mi-26 helicopters, two Mil Mi-8 helicopters, and a Beriev Be-200 water-tanker plane.[31]
- M-18 Dromader and one Antonov An-2 firefighting planes, 6 firefighting all-terrain vehicles and 55 firefighters. The army was on alert for deployment to assist. City of Novi Sad sent a team of 11 firefighters.[38][39][40]
- Sweden – One Bell-205 firefighting helicopter.[42]
- Eurocopter Super Puma water-carrying helicopters.[31]
- water bomber.[43]
List of affected areas
- Achaea[44]
- Aetolia-Acarnania
- Aegean Islands
- Arcadia[44]
- Attica
- Athens[45]
- Grammatiko
- Mt. Parnitha[4]
- Mt. Imittos
- Mt. Penteli[4]
- Keratea
- Lagonissi
- Corinthia[44]
- Chiliomodi
- Sofiko
- Mapsos
- East Attica
- Elis[45]
- Ampelona
- Ancient Olympia
- Andritsaina
- Chelidonio
- Dafnoula
- Figaleia
- Giannitsochori
- Koliri
- Oleni
- Pelopio
- Pineia
- Skillounta
- Zacharo[45]
- Euboea[44][45]
- Imathia
- Vermion Mountains
- Laconia[44]
- Messenia[44]
- Phthiotis
Aftermath
Causes and arson arrests
"The reward is set between €100,000 and €1,000,000 ($1.36 million US dollars) for every [act of] arson, depending on whether death or serious injury occurred and the size of the damage."
The former
While some fires are believed to have been caused by environmental factors, others clearly were not.
On 27 August 2007,
Consequences
On 25 August,
The destruction that was caused by the fires is expected to have a large financial impact to the areas affected by the fires. Originally the estimated amount was about 1.5 billion euros in immediate damages.[54] That amount has now risen to 2 billion euros ($2.9 billion).[55] The cumulative financial impact after taking into consideration the loss of national income due to the destruction of the local agricultural infrastructure and the potentially negative impact on local tourism is estimated around 5 billion euros or more.[56]
The status of
Financial assistance
Due to the unprecedented scale of the destruction many of the country's leading banks, businesses, institutions and local administrations have offered considerable amounts of cash in order to help the people and businesses that suffered financially due to the fires.
The
On 20 February 2008 UEFA president Michel Platini presented the Hellenic Football Federation with a CHF1m cheque to help finance the rebuilding of football facilities damaged by the fires in Greece the previous summer.[65]
The European Union has proposed 89.7 million euros in aid to Greece to offset part of the cost of the 2007 forest fires.[66] The grant will be used to reimburse the costs of rescue services, provision of temporary housing, cleaning up of disaster-stricken areas, and the restoration of basic infrastructures to working condition.[66] Furthermore, the EU created a 600-member team of European firefighters to combat continental forest fires, as a response to the 2007 summer forest fires in Southern Europe.[67]
Reforestation
The
See also
- List of wildfires
- 2009 Greek forest fires
- 2018 Greek forest fires
- 2021 Greek forest fires
- 2021 Turkish forest fires
- 2007 Croatian coast fires
- 2007 European heat wave
- October 2007 California wildfires
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