Satellite Images Reveal Devastating Scale Of Greek Wildfire

The largest wildfire in Greece this year has been controlled near Athens. The fire destroyed about 125,000 acres of land, damaged or destroyed about 100 homes and businesses, and killed one person. ESA Sentinel satellites are actively monitoring the situation and assessing the damage.

Massive Wildfire In Greece – What We Know So Far

More than 700 firefighters supported by volunteers, 199 fire engines and 35 aircraft were involved in extinguishing the fires that broke out last Sunday afternoon some 35 kilometres north of the Greek capital.

The fire started in Varnavasa and quickly spread to the suburb of Athens through nearby pine forests due to strong winds and prolonged drought. It caused panic among residents who had not seen a forest fire so close to the capital in decades.

Officials said the fires broke out in 40 locations, with flames reaching 25 meters (82 feet) in some areas.

As early as Monday, residents saw a massive cloud of smoke and ash from the fire burning 24 miles northeast of Athens.

Thousands of people were evacuated after firefighters warned that their homes, businesses, and schools were at risk. Animal welfare groups helped rescue dozens of pets and other animals.

On Tuesday, Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Vassilis Kikilias said there was no longer an “active front, only scattered hotspots”. Greek firefighters have localised a forest fire near Athens.

EU Aid And Satellite Monitoring

European countries announced aid to Greece after their governments activated the EU’s mutual civil protection mechanism. France, Moldova, the Czech Republic, Romania, Malta, Italy, Turkey, Serbia, Cyprus, and Poland offered assistance and provided aeroplanes, helicopters, additional vehicles, personnel, and humanitarian aid.

In response to the fires, Greek authorities requested assistance from the Copernicus Program Emergency Service, which covered the fire events affecting the Attica region.

Copernicus EMS Rapid Mapping provided an initial rough estimate and emergency mapping of the extent of the fire and damage assessments.

The NOAA satellite also recorded a cloud of smoke that spread over the region more than 180 miles (300 kilometres) southwest of Libya in North Africa.

Sentinel-2 satellite images taken on Monday (August 12) helped detect 168 active flames, including some just a few miles from the centre of Athens, home to 3 million people.

The Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission is based on a constellation of two identical satellites, each carrying an innovative high-resolution broadband multispectral thermal imager with 13 spectral channels to monitor Earth’s land and vegetation changes.

How Much Damage Did The Fires Cause?

Greece’s National Observatory reported that satellite images showed the vast scale of the damage – the fire has damaged about 10,000 hectares (24,700 acres) of land.

Local newspaper Proto Thema also reported that the fire has damaged 100 homes.

Suburbs including Nea Penteli, Vrilissia and Patima Halandriou are among the most brutal hit.

More than 30 districts evacuated their residents. Three hospitals were evacuated in Pentel, a forested and hilly area, and one of the National Observatory facilities was at risk.

Flames also engulfed a timber factory, and several explosions were heard elsewhere in the area, most likely from fuel tanks and domestic gas cylinders.

What’s Causing The Massive Wildfires?

Authorities are investigating what caused the worst wildfire in 20 years. Experts say people are to blame for 99 per cent of the fires, whether they were lit intentionally or caused by carelessness. For example, fireworks from a private yacht off Hydra Island in late June burned 300 acres of forest.

Global Warming Is Making Fires More Violent And Widespread

Scientists say the frequency and intensity of wildfires result from increasingly hot and dry weather conditions in Europe, the continent with the fastest warming in the world. These conditions have been linked to anthropogenic influences on the environment.

The Mediterranean country experienced its warmest winter on record this year. Large areas of Greece, including the site of this week’s fire, have seen almost no rain for months. As a result, its parched forest areas are vulnerable to fires.

Greek authorities have already battled dozens of fires this summer after experiencing the hottest June and July on record.