An emergency briefing on the forest fires was carried out today, July 21, 2023 at 18:10, by the Press Representative of the Fire Brigade, Fire Marshal Vasilios Vathrakogiannis, from the National Coordination Center for Operations and Crisis Management in Marousi.

Here is the text of the update:

« Good morning from the Fire Department Operations Center.

Another tough day with 52 new fires, while across the state fire services are managing a total of 79 fires.

Flares and scattered active fires that have so far been brought under control are currently facing strong ground and air forces in Western Attica.

In Rhodes, we are dealing with flare-ups in the mountain massif, in the center of the island, and 125 firefighters are working with 3 groups of pedestrian sections and 35 vehicles, while 4 aircraft and 3 helicopters have been allocated for aerial firefighting.

In Laconia, flare-ups are much more numerous, and in several cases, have created fire fronts. To deal with them, 75 firefighters with 3 groups of pedestrian departments and 25 vehicles as well as 5 aircraft and 2 helicopters are working.

The fire that broke out this afternoon, near Egnatia Street, at the height of the Prophetis settlement in Thessaloniki, has been contained. There are 50 firefighters with 3 groups of infantry departments and 12 vehicles, including 10 firefighters with 2 vehicles from Bulgaria, as well as 2 helicopters.

The task of extinguishing the fires is assisted by the European firefighters, who have been deployed through the pre-installation program of the Civil Protection Mechanism of the Union, additional forces from Romania, Poland, Slovakia and Bulgaria, while 2 aircraft from Italy, 2 from France, 1 from Croatia and 2 more from Cyprus have been deployed for aerial firefighting.

Also, assistance on a bilateral level is provided by Israel with 2 aircraft and Jordan with 4 helicopters.

In the last few days, we are facing a phenomenon that facilitates the intensity but also the dispersion of fires and new outbreaks, throughout Greece.

According to experts’ forecasts, the situation will become even more difficult in the coming days.

It has been announced that for tomorrow, Saturday, a very high risk is predicted in Attica, Central Greece, Peloponnese, Western Greece, Thessaly, Rhodes, Samos and Ikaria.

In the fight fought by the Firefighters, all the co-competent bodies of the Civil Protection are continuously helping.

We are making every effort to deal with all active fronts with all the means at our disposal.

In this effort, we ask for the cooperation of the citizens, and at the same time we appeal to everyone, above all, for your own safety, to faithfully follow the instructions of the authorities.

Thank you”.