2018 Attica wildfires

2018 Attica wildfires
The two main fire fronts in Attica on 23 July 2018
Date(s)23 July 2018 – 26 July 2018
LocationAttica
Coordinates38°03′09″N 23°52′06″E / 38.05250°N 23.86833°E / 38.05250; 23.86833
Impacts
Deaths104[1]
Non-fatal injuries172[2]
Ignition
CauseHuman negligence
Map
Attica wildfires in Greece
Attica wildfires in Greece

A series of wildfires in Greece, during the 2018 European heat wave, began in the coastal areas of Attica in July 2018.[4] 104 people were confirmed dead from the Mati fires.[1] The fires were, at that time, the second-deadliest wildfire event in the 21st century, after the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires in Australia that killed 173.

Over 700 residents were evacuated or rescued, mainly from the seaside settlements located north of the port town of Rafina, namely Kokkino Limanaki and Mati, where rescuers found 26 corpses trapped just meters away from the sea,[5][6] apparently hugging each other as they died.[7] Boats also recovered corpses from the water, and rescued hundreds of people from beaches and the sea. Two people drowned when the boat rescuing them from a hotel in Mati capsized.[8] Μore than 4,000 residents were affected by the wildfires.[9] The Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras declared a state of emergency in Attica,[7] and announced a three-day period of national mourning, stating in a televised address, "The country is going through an unspeakable tragedy".[10]

After the fires, flags atop the Acropolis and the Greek parliament flew at half mast.[11] The European flags at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels also flew at half mast in honour of the victims.[12] Many countries worldwide helped or offered aid to Greece.[7] A 65-year-old man from Penteli has been arrested for causing the fire through negligence, by burning wood in his garden.[13][14]

  1. ^ a b "Μάτι: Κατέληξε άλλη μία εγκαυματίας - 104 τα θύματα από τη φονική πυρκαγιά". protothema.gr. 10 October 2022. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
  2. ^ "Ενημέρωση για τις δασικές πυρκαγιές της 26/07/2018 - Δελτία Τύπου - Πυροσβεστικό Σώμα Ελλάδος". www.fireservice.gr.
  3. ^ Smith, Helena (20 July 2019). "'In my nightmares I'm always in the sea': a year on from the Greek fires". The Guardian. Survivors describe the 2018 fires in Mati
  4. ^ "Greece wildfires: 'At least 60' killed near Athens as residents and tourists forced to flee into the sea". The Telegraph. 24 July 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  5. ^ "Συγκλονιστικές εικόνες από το οικόπεδο στο Μάτι, όπου βρήκαν τραγικό θάνατο 26 άνθρωποι". real.gr. 1 August 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  6. ^ "In Greece, Wildfires Kill Dozens, Driving Some Into the Sea". The New York Times. 24 July 2018. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  7. ^ a b c "Greece wildfires: Dozens dead in Attica region". BBC. 24 July 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  8. ^ "Two Poles drown trying to escape fire". ekathimerini.com. 24 July 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  9. ^ "Στις 4.076 οι αιτήσεις πυρόπληκτων για το επίδομα". 19 August 2018.
  10. ^ "Greece wildfires – LIVE: Death toll rises to 60 amid huge blazes outside Athens". The Independent. 24 July 2018. Archived from the original on 1 May 2022. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  11. ^ "Wildfires kill at least 74 in Greece's 'Pompeii'". Reuters. 23 July 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  12. ^ "European Commission flags lowered to half-mast in honor of Greek wildfires victims". ekathimerini. 26 July 2018. Retrieved 26 July 2018.
  13. ^ "20 Charged over Mati Wildfires That Killed 100 People - Greek City Times". 6 March 2019.
  14. ^ "Greek senior officials charged over deadly wildfires in Mati". BBC News. 6 March 2019. Retrieved 23 September 2019.