18 bodies were found this Tuesday in a forest fire that broke out in northeastern Greece, firefighters advanced on Tuesday.
The bodies were found near Dadia National Park, a region bordering Turkey and a frequent entry point for migrants, fire service spokesman Yiannis Artopios told reporters.
As no neighbor has been reported missing, “the possibility that these are people who entered the country illegally is being investigated,” said Artopios.
The death toll rises to 20 in a new wave of fires, the second in a month, after another suspected migrant was found dead in the area on Monday.
An elderly shepherd was also found dead on Monday in the north of Athens.
The flames continued to spread unchecked in northeastern Greece, as well as on the islands of Evia and Kythnos and in the Boeotia region north of Athens amid a dangerous mix of strong winds and temperatures of up to 41°C.
“It is a situation similar to that of July,” a fire department spokeswoman told AFP, referring to a wave of fires in various parts of the country that left five dead.
More than 60 fires have broken out in the past 24 hours and six countries have sent help through the European Union’s Civil Protection mechanism, the fire service said.
Around 120 firefighters from Cyprus, Romania, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Germany and Serbia will contribute, firefighter spokesman Vassilis Vathrakogiannis told state television ERT.
A new fire broke out at a landfill in the Aspropyrgos industrial area near Athens on Tuesday, blanketing the area in a noxious black cloud.
Authorities closed the nearest section of the Athens ring road and advised residents to stay at home.
Another fire broke out on Mount Parnitha, prompting evacuations.
The evacuation of the hospital in Alexandroupolis, a northeastern Greek port city located in an area where fires had raged for the fourth day, was ordered Monday night. The coast guard said it transferred 65 patients to a waiting ferry at the city’s port.
On the island of Evia, close to the capital, authorities evacuated the industrial town of Nea Artaki on Monday night, where the fire damaged poultry and pig farms.
The fire near Alexandroupolis also threatens the Dadia national park, one of the most important protected areas in Europe that is home to rare birds.
According to forecasters, very hot and dry temperatures, which increase the risk of fire, will persist until Friday.
*News in update
Source: TSF
