At the end of September, large-scale wildfires engulfed Greece, with the most critical situation occurring on the Peloponnese peninsula.
The largest wildfire ignited on September 29 in the Corinthia region, quickly spreading across vast areas around the town of Xylokastro. The rapid spread of the fire was fueled by strong winds and dry conditions left over from a hot summer, creating a significant threat to local residents and the ecosystem.
Authorities declared evacuations in six villages, including Pyrgos and Elliniko. Unfortunately, tragic consequences could not be avoided — two people died in the fire.
To combat the flames, 570 firefighters and 160 vehicles were mobilized. Fifteen helicopters and nine planes were dispatched for assistance, including two from Italy and one from Croatia.
Climate Crisis Minister Vassilis Kikilias noted at a press conference that "the situation is very difficult" and "no one expected that there would be so many wildfires at this time of year and that it would be so hard to deal with them."
After nearly four days of intense fighting, the wildfire in Xylokastro was brought under control. Firefighters, volunteers, and special aviation units continued to work on-site to fully localize the remaining hotspots.
Preliminary estimates indicate that the fire destroyed about 65,000 acres of forest. It became the largest wildfire in the region since 2010.
This wildfire season has become one of the most dangerous for Greece in the last 20 years.
The number of wildfires around the world is rapidly increasing, and they are becoming more difficult to extinguish. The reason is that fires often occur in fault zones, where flammable gases are released from the Earth's crust, complicating firefighting efforts. Ignoring this fact leads to the burning of vast areas and increasingly often to the loss of human lives.
Humanity is facing growing cataclysms, and standard methods of addressing them are no longer effective. We need international cooperation among scientists to develop comprehensive measures for saving the planet. More information can be found at the forum "Global Crisis. The Responsibility."