ATHENS – The fire front that broke out on Evia on Saturday is mostly under control, authorities said on Sunday, as only some scattered pockets of fire remain.

According to Kymi-Aliveri Deputy Mayor for Civil Protection Kostas Dimas, “There are still some small and scattered pockets of fire that ground and air forces are trying to control. Speaking to Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA-MPA), he added that the outlook is much better than a day earlier, but “our only issue is the strong winds prevailing again in the area.” Firefighters have encircled the fire front in a difficult-to-access-area and are trying to prevent its spread, he told ANA-MPA.

Currently two aircraft and three helicopters have been helping by air the 150 firefighters and 32 fire trucks as well as other firefighting units, local government help, and volunteers that were on hand as of Saturday night.

The fire broke out shortly after 14:00 on Saturday at scrubland between the villages of Kremasto and Gaea, the former of which was evacuated for preventative reasons through text messages (SMSs) on the 112 European emergency messaging service. The fire spread to nearly 700 meters from Kremasto but were put out and homes were not threatened.

Firefighters on the mainland have been placed on alert in case they are needed.

Evia suffered large fires on several fronts in August 2021 that caused extensive damage on the island’s northernmost part.