History is repeating itself, claims Finnish resident as Greek wildfires continue to spread
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A Finnish resident of Athens, Arja Heinonen, feels that history is repeating itself.
Heinonen is living in the Galatsi area, a few kilometres north of downtown Athens.
”I feel I am observing the large fires of 2007 all over again”, says Heinonen, who has been living in Greece for 21 years.
On Saturday evening, black smoke was towering over the suburb of Galatsi, but during the weekend the winds turned and the landscape became brighter.
Heinonen and her family have been able to lead a normal life, while some of their friends have a house in the coastal city of Nea Makri, close to the fires. Whether or not they have been forced to leave is not known yet.
”There has been no improvement in the firefighting arrangements. Greek firefighters cannot even get to all places, and the residents have to fend for themselves. Some people stay at home in order to protect their property even though their own life is at risk from the flames”, she notes.
Arja Heinonen says that it is awful what the fires have done to the nature on the hills. The flames have once again swept away all saplings in the burned area.
Even soldiers have been summoned to patrol on the hills in order to prevent potential arson attacks.
Early on Monday evening it looked like the blazes were being contained - at least better than in the last few days. The strong winds fuelling the fires were also predicted to calm down.
”I do not believe that these ground fires could spread to the densely-populated urban areas”, Arja Heinonen says.
Wildfires are occurrences that plague Greece every summer. Some of the blazes have been sparked by arsonists. Sometimes speculating developers and farmers start fires in order to gain more construction land or pasture land.
By Monday, the fires had destroyed some 15,000 hectares of land. Thousands of people have been forced to leave their homes, while some have stayed in order to protect their properties at the risk of their own lives.
While no casualties have been reported, criticism against the Greek government has become more intense. In addition to Greek citizens, even the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has reproached the Greek govenment for insufficient wildfire preparedness.
The fires began late on Friday in Grammatiko, approximately 40 kilometres northeast of Athens. They are the worst since those in 2007, which killed at least 70 people.
Heinonen is living in the Galatsi area, a few kilometres north of downtown Athens.
”I feel I am observing the large fires of 2007 all over again”, says Heinonen, who has been living in Greece for 21 years.
On Saturday evening, black smoke was towering over the suburb of Galatsi, but during the weekend the winds turned and the landscape became brighter.
Heinonen and her family have been able to lead a normal life, while some of their friends have a house in the coastal city of Nea Makri, close to the fires. Whether or not they have been forced to leave is not known yet.
”There has been no improvement in the firefighting arrangements. Greek firefighters cannot even get to all places, and the residents have to fend for themselves. Some people stay at home in order to protect their property even though their own life is at risk from the flames”, she notes.
Arja Heinonen says that it is awful what the fires have done to the nature on the hills. The flames have once again swept away all saplings in the burned area.
Even soldiers have been summoned to patrol on the hills in order to prevent potential arson attacks.
Early on Monday evening it looked like the blazes were being contained - at least better than in the last few days. The strong winds fuelling the fires were also predicted to calm down.
”I do not believe that these ground fires could spread to the densely-populated urban areas”, Arja Heinonen says.
Wildfires are occurrences that plague Greece every summer. Some of the blazes have been sparked by arsonists. Sometimes speculating developers and farmers start fires in order to gain more construction land or pasture land.
By Monday, the fires had destroyed some 15,000 hectares of land. Thousands of people have been forced to leave their homes, while some have stayed in order to protect their properties at the risk of their own lives.
While no casualties have been reported, criticism against the Greek government has become more intense. In addition to Greek citizens, even the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has reproached the Greek govenment for insufficient wildfire preparedness.
The fires began late on Friday in Grammatiko, approximately 40 kilometres northeast of Athens. They are the worst since those in 2007, which killed at least 70 people.
Helsingin Sanomat