Wildfire in Greece triggers explosions at ammunition depot and relocation of fighter jets

RHODES, Greece — A wildfire whipped on by robust winds triggered a collection of large explosions Thursday at an air pressure ammunition depot in central Greece, and F-16 fighter jets have been being moved from a close-by air base as a precaution whereas firefighters labored to tame a number of blazes within the nation.

The Greek air pressure mentioned the army base was not beneath a direct menace. The depot was evacuated earlier than the explosions, and no accidents have been reported, though continued blasts prevented firefighting groups from approaching the positioning.

Fires have raged throughout elements of Greece throughout three successive Mediterranean warmth waves prior to now two weeks, leaving 5 folks lifeless, together with two firefighting pilots, and triggering an enormous weekend evacuation of vacationers on the island of Rhodes.

The fireplace within the Volos space of central Greece‘s Magnissia area reached the ammunition storage facility about 4 miles north of the key army air base in Nea Anchialos. Local media reported that bombs and ammunition for Greek F-16 fighters have been saved on the web site.

The massive explosions shattered home windows on homes in a surrounding space, however the Greek fireplace service mentioned no accidents have been reported in close by villages, which additionally have been evacuated as a precaution.

Fire Service spokesman Ioannis Artopios mentioned 12 villages have been ordered evacuated within the Volos-Nea Anchialos space.

PHOTOS: Wildfire in Greece triggers explosions at ammunition depot and relocation of fighter jets

“Despite their superhuman efforts, our forces were unable to stop the blaze,” he mentioned.

Artopios mentioned the Volos space blaze was essentially the most harmful of the 124 wildfires the hearth service needed to cope with Thursday.

The wildfire burned on three fronts and compelled a bit of Greece’s busiest freeway to shut for a number of hours, whereas nationwide rail companies passing by the world have been delayed.

State ERT tv confirmed residents and guests within the coastal village of Anchialos, some 2 1/2 miles from the blast web site, being evacuated by sea, whereas others have been leaving in automobiles and buses.

The mayor of town of Volos, Achilleas Beos appealed to all remaining village residents to obey the evacuation order, saying some 80% had left. The coast guard mentioned dozens of residents have been taken in small personal boats to town of Volos.

The Nea Anchialos air base is a few 12 miles from town, the place the blasts have been heard loudly. The air pressure mentioned that whereas the ability was not instantly threatened, a few of the F-16 fighters primarily based there have been taking off for different air bases as a precaution.

Water-dropping helicopters and a floor crew scrambled early Thursday to a separate wildfire in Kifissia, simply north of Athens, which was rapidly put out.

Greek firefighters additionally battled flames for a ten successive day on Rhodes, the place officers mentioned the blazes have been largely contained. Flare-ups have been reported on the island of Evia.

The World Meteorological Organization, a U.N. physique, and a European Union local weather change service reported Thursday that temperatures through the first three weeks of July set a brand new international warmth file.

As Southern Europe fights excessive warmth and wildfires, elements of central Europe have been hit with winter circumstances. Subfreezing temperatures, frost and snow have been reported within the Tatra Mountains, which run by Poland and Slovakia.

In Italy, firefighters battled brush fires within the southern mainland areas of Calabria and Puglia, in addition to the islands of Sicily and Sardinia, helped by temperatures dropping some 55 levels Fahrenheit into the excessive 80s.

Sicily remained the focus, with fires persevering with to burn close to the capital, Palermo.

“Without doubt, we can see that all across the Mediterranean the climate crisis is here, and it’s affecting us all more strongly than perhaps even scientists had warned us about,” Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis mentioned Thursday throughout a gathering with Greece‘s president, Katerina Sakellaropoulou.

Wildfire carbon emissions for July in Greece have been the very best by an enormous margin – totaling over 1 metric megatons and doubling the earlier file – since record-keeping began 20 years in the past, in accordance with the EU company that analyzes satellite tv for pc knowledge, the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service.

“Unfortunately, it is not all that surprising, given the extreme conditions in the region,” mentioned Mark Parrington, a senior scientist on the company. “The observed intensity and estimated emissions show how unusual the scale of the fires has been for July relative to the last 20 years of data.”

In Athens, senior members of the armed forces paid tribute to the 2 pilots killed when a firefighting aircraft crashed this week, at a ceremony held on the Defense Ministry.

Capt. Christos Moulas and Lt. Pericles Stephanidis died throughout a low-altitude water drop on the island of Evia. Defense Minister Nikos Dendias mentioned that they had proven “self-denial in the line of duty.”

“Greece today is in mourning. Their memories will live on,” Dendias mentioned.

Funeral companies for the 2 airmen have been to be held in northern Greece later Thursday and on the island of Crete on Friday.

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Gatopoulos reported from Athens. Associated Press writers Colleen Barry in Milan, Italy, and Venessa Gera in Warsaw, Poland, contributed to this report.

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