ATHENS – Reinforcements are being sent in from Thessaly, Epirus and Central Macedonia to help control a forest fire that is raging on Mount Parnitha, where wind speeds have at times exceeded 100 km per hour, Fire Department spokesperson Vasilis Vathrakogiannis announced during an emergency press briefing on Saturday.

He said that the fire brigade’s coordination centre had been notified about the forest fire that started in Katsimidi, Parnitha at approximately 14:50 and deployed a strong fire-fighting force against it, while an additional 100 fire fighters and 30 vehicles are being brought in as reinforcements from other areas. These are being assisted by four fire-fighting aircraft and eight helicopters from the air.

“In general, the conditions that prevail are difficult and dangerous,” he stressed.

Hampering the fire-fighting effort are high winds of 50km per hour blowing in the area, with gusts that exceed 100km per hour, as well as the large number of high-voltage electricity pylons that make it hard for airplanes to operate, which is why there are mainly helicopters participating in the fire-fighting effort.

These forces are being coordinated by the Mobile Operations Centre Olympus.

At 15:47 on Saturday, a 112 message was sent to residents in nearby areas, instructing them to be prepared in the case of an emergency and follow the instructions of the authorities.

Vathrakogiannis also noted the assistance is being given by a strong forces of volunteer fire fighters and volunteer vehicles, as well as water tankers and machinery supplied by the Attica Region and the National Defence General Staff.

He reported that 40 fires have started in rural and forested areas since the early hours of Saturday and stressed that the citizens must follow the instructions of the authorities for their own safety.

The forest fire started in the location Katsimidi on Mount Parnitha on Saturday afternoon. Sixty firefighters, with three teams on foot and 15 vehicles, assisted by two firefighting aircraft and five helicopters were deployed to put out the flames, assisted by volunteers and local authority water tankers and machinery.

A coordination meeting was convened by Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Vasilis Kikilias at the ministry, with the participation of all the government ministries, security forces, armed forces and other services involved in managing fires.

Meanwhile, the police have proceeded to divert traffic away from the following roads:
Malakasa-Merkourio rural road
Ippokratous Road and Tyrtaiou Avenue
Tatoiou and Chlois Roads
The Malakasa junction at Sfendali
The Malakasa and Anexartisias rural road