2007 Greek forest fires

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2007 Greek forest fires
Animation showing fires in southern Greece (22–26 August 2007), from NASA satellite images.
Date(s)28 June 2007[1] - 3 September 2007[2]
LocationGreece:
Peloponnese, Attica and Euboea
Statistics
Burned area270,000 hectares (2700km²), 670,000 acres
Impacts
DeathsJune: 9[3]
July: 5[4]
August: 67[4]
September: 4[5]
Total: 85
Non-fatal injuriesExact number unknown - number believed to be several dozen people.
Ignition
Causeheat 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

heat waves of over 40 °C (105 °F),[7] and severe drought rendered the 2007 summer unprecedented in modern Greek history.[3] From the end of June to early September, over 3,000 forest fires were recorded across the nation.[3] Nine more people were killed in blazes in June and July.[3]

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

View of the Parnitha National Park fire from north Athens

The first major fire of the summer of 2007 was started on 28 June 2007.

Penteli fire of July 1995.[13]

The magnitude of the devastation was unforeseen.

Pyli
.

July

On 11 July 2007, another wildfire sparked at a garbage dump near

Kefalonia
.

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

Forest fire in the suburbs of Athens on 16 July

Fires continued, on 17 August 2007 they started to burn on the outskirts of Athens.

Melisia, Vrilisia, and Penteli city were affected in the blaze that was put out once winds calmed down.[18]

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]

Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis declared a state of emergency for the whole country and requested help from fellow members of the European Union.[20][21] Multiple countries responded to the call and sent help. Additionally, 500 Greek soldiers were sent in the affected areas.[22] Another 500 Greek soldiers
were called up bringing the total to 1,000 military personnel involved in the fire fighting.

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

Acropolis, Athens
.

Minister of Culture Georgios Voulgarakis, no serious damage was caused to the antiquities.[26] The fire burnt all the trees on the hilltop above, and an area of brush and open space adjacent to the Olympic Academy.[27] The fire did not damage the archaeological museum nor did it damage the several ancient structures in the area.[27] "The wider archaeological space of Olympia remains intact," stated Mr. Voulgarakis.[27] Despite the Minister's claims, it has been established, as of 26 August, that the afflicted damage is of greater importance and scale;[28] the sacred Hill of Kronos was totally burnt during the blaze.[11][25] The hill was left blackened, but will soon be reforested.[11][25] New Culture Minister Michalis Liapis has stated that 3,200 bushes and saplings will be planted on the Hill of Kronos, to return the area to its previous appearance.[25]

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

A Beriev Be-200 operating in Athens.

When the August fires broke out,

Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis requested help from the members of the European Union and other nations. The following countries offered help, but some offers were refused:[31]

List of affected areas

Rapidfire – NASA image taken on 22 August, before the fires
Rapidfire – NASA image of the fires, taken on 23 August
Rapidfire – NASA image of the fires, taken on 24 August
Rapidfire – NASA image of the fires, taken on 25 August
Rapidfire – NASA image of the fires, taken on 26 August

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."

Vyron Polydoras[46][47]

The former

terrorist attacks, as many of the fires started simultaneously and in places where an arsonist could not be seen. He also stated that the country is facing an asymmetric threat, a military term used for terrorist attacks.[48]

While some fires are believed to have been caused by environmental factors, others clearly were not.

land registry system.[6][45][49] A substantial reward has been offered for anyone providing information which leads to the arrest of an arsonist.[49]

Greek police announced the capture of three arson suspects: A 65-year-old man from Areopolis was charged with arson and murder relating to the fire which killed at least 6 in this area.[6][20] Also, in northern Kavala, two youths had been detained on suspicion of arson.[6][20][22] Greek government press minister Theodoros Roussopoulos
confirmed on 27 August that 61 people had been arrested on suspicion of involvement in arson, seven of these being retained in custody.

On 27 August 2007,

George Papandreou accused the government of insinuating that his party is involved in the fires and called on Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis to produce any evidence that would support there was such an organized plan.[50] Heavy criticism directed towards the government for its handling of the crisis, with the Greek press forming a chorus in ridiculing the incompetence of the country's officials, was accentuated in September by the reported discovery of steps aimed at giving a green light to property developers in the ravaged region.[51]

Consequences

View of Parnitha a month after the major fires.

On 25 August,

forthcoming general election was suspended for a short period of time.[22] The vote was not postponed since this is not allowed under the current Constitution.[53]

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

flame-lighting ceremony is threatening to undermine the whole ceremony.[57] The Hellenic Olympic Committee (HOC) has warned that the delays in the reforestation process will undermine the whole ceremony.[57] The HOC states, "Unless it drastically improves in the coming period, (Olympia's) present image will constitute global defamation for Greece."[57]

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

Artemida.[63] They have currently signed an 8.5 million euro contract,[63][64] which includes the construction of 80 structures of which 48 will be residential.[63] The overall cost of the project is expected to be 14.5 million euro.[63]

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 Hill of Kronos in May 2008.

The

Elis, Corinthia, Laconia, Messenia, and Euboea.[44] The Hill of Kronos which was totally burnt by the fires will be replanted with bushes and saplings.[25] These bushes and saplings will include laurel bushes, oaks, olive trees, and other indigenous species.[25]

See also

References

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External links