DADIA – Fire-fighting forces on the ground and in the air continued to battle the flames in the national park of Dadia on Monday for a fifth day, with the fire constantly changing direction.

According to the head of the Forestry Department of Soufli, Gianna Diagakis, the fire-fighting forces had a nightmarish night.

The national park is home to three of Europe’s four species of vulture, and of the only black vulture colony in the Balkans.

A total of 320 firefighters with 68 vehicles, 13 groups of people on foot, two firefighting aircraft, four firefighting helicopters with the assistance of the General Staff of the National Defence, the Hellenic Armed Forces, the Forestry Services of Evros, volunteer firefighters as well as water carriers and local administration vehicles are operating in the area.