ATHENS, June 23 (Xinhua) -- Greek authorities are continuing efforts to contain a series of wildfires on the eastern Aegean island of Chios, where conditions have been described as extremely critical, the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (AMNA) reported on Monday.
According to the Greek Fire Department, a fifth wildfire broke out around 10:00 a.m. local time (0700 GMT) on Monday in a forested region near Agiasmata in northern Chios, far from the other four active fires. Authorities are seriously considering the possibility of deliberate arson, and an arson investigation unit has been dispatched to the island.
The emergency alert service 112 sent evacuation instructions on Monday to residents of Aghios Sykousis and Dafnonas, as flames approached those communities. Evacuation orders had already been issued for a dozen other settlements since midday Sunday, the report said.
The initial wildfire erupted before Sunday noon in the Kofinas area and was quickly fanned by strong winds, severely hampering firefighting efforts. Within a short time, two more fires were reported in the areas of Aghia Anna and Aghios Makarios Vrontadou.
Firefighters worked through the night between Sunday and Monday to contain the blaze. At dawn on Monday, water-dropping helicopters resumed operations, while additional firefighting personnel and equipment arrived by boat from the port of Piraeus.
Greek Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Yiannis Kefalogiannis traveled urgently to Chios by helicopter to oversee the emergency response. He is coordinating efforts from a mobile command center in the Agios Artemios area to improve coordination among firefighting units and monitor the rapidly evolving situation.
A total of 190 firefighters have been deployed to the island, including 11 ground teams, 38 fire engines, and four aircraft, according to the Fire Department.
Wildfires are a recurring threat during Greece's hot and dry summers, but officials have warned that climate change has increased both the frequency and intensity of such events. ■
