Fire in Attica – Main fronts – Aerial means in the fray

Attica is living dramatic hours, as the fire that re-ignited yesterday at noon is raging uncontrollably and is now in Afidnes, while during the night it crossed the highway to Kapandriti, at the height of the tolls, while on the other side it reached Ippokratio Politia .

At the moment, the biggest problem is located in Afidnes, where facilities are burning on the side of the National Road, while the information also speaks about burned houses.

There are also explosions in the area, as the flames have reached a car park.

A titanic battle to stop the fire.

“There is a large front towards Ippokratios Politia, two small ones let’s say towards Vasilika and one in Afidnes”, stressed deputy regional governor of Attica Civil Protection Vassilis Kokkalis to SKAI television. According to information, there is a lot of material damage in the settlements of Kosmothea and Drosopigi.

As for Kalenji, for which there is confused information that an evacuation order has been issued, he pointed out that for the time being there is no cause for concern.

Indescribable disaster

According to the Fire Brigade, the flames in Attica, during the night, caused damage to houses in Ippokratios Politia.

There is now a permanent front on the opposite side of the National Highway, which is burning mainly low vegetation and a few trees, with strong forces trying to prevent it from growing in size and threatening Kapandriti.

At night, with a message from 112, the village of Vothonas towards the Lake of Marathon was evacuated, while, it is reminded that late at night Kapandriti, Polydendri and the settlements of Pontia and Pefkofyto in Agios Stefanos were evacuated.

In Afidnes, apart from houses, the flames have burned a large part of the forest with the result that there is no fuel to feed the fire. According to information from SKAI, some PPC cables have been cut and burned, some of them are even dangerous as they are on the road. Note that the residents have moved away from the area.

Huge mobilization of the Fire Brigade

From 6:00 aerial means have started to operate both in Attica and in the other big fires, while the 83 French firefighters who arrived in Greece shortly after 1:00 are starting.

During the day, assistance and two more fir fighting aircraft are expected from France, as well as assistance from six other countries that responded to the request submitted by Greece.

It is noted that 40 firefighters from Cyprus and two aircraft are already operating in the fire of Attica and two aircraft in Crete, while it is not yet known where the 83 French and the French aircraft that will arrive will be sent.

Also expected are 112 firefighters with 23 vehicles from Romania, 100 firefighters from Lithuania and pedestrians, 15 firefighters from Israel, 2 aircraft from Sweden, another canard from Croatia and 3 helicopters from Switzerland.

According to the latest information from the Fire Brigade, currently in Attica a total of 450 firefighters are operating with 40 groups of pedestrians, 150 vehicles, the Mobile Operation Center OLYMPUS, while from 6:00 3 helicopters and 7 aircraft are dropping from the air.

Assistance is provided by the 40 firefighters from Cyprus, the Greek army with infantry units, police, volunteer firefighters, as well as water tankers and local government machinery.

Traffic regulations

The traffic of vehicles has been stopped on the New National Road Athens-Lamia, in both traffic streams in the section from the height of the uneven junction Kalyftakis to the junction of Inofyta.

Attiki Odos remains open and without tolls.

The traffic of trucks has also been stopped from the height of the Kalyftakis junction up to about the 58th km on the borders with the Prefecture of Viotia

In addition, the traffic of all trucks and other heavy vehicles, with destination or transit in Attica, of a payload of more than one and a half tons, on the traffic flow from Thessaloniki to Athens, on the Athens-Thessaloniki highway.

Excluded from the ban are: roadside assistance vehicles, water tankers moving to deal with forest fires, tankers transporting fuel for refueling firefighting vehicles and emergency vehicles.