European Union Sending Help to Greece to Combat Devastating Wildfires

Wildfires in Greece have gotten so bad that the European Union is sending help to Athens.

Hadrian's Library, Areos, Athens, Greece / Mandatory Credit - Tamal Mukhopadhyay

Athens, Greece is one of the most beautiful places in the world to see. Unfortunately, the Greek capital is being devastated by wildfires that started up over the weekend.

About 20 miles north of Athens in the village of Varnavas, a wildfire broke out on Sunday. The flames are still blazing, as firefighters are doing their best to contain the fires, but parts of the city have already been torched.

Northeast Athens towns have suffered, as suburbs of the city are also being impacted. Because of how heavy the smoky air has become, people are wearing masks to help breathe during the evacuations.

Thousands of people who call Athens home have been forced to flee. It has had a major impact on travelers as well. Susan Nesmith, who traveled to Greece from the United States, spoke to NBC News about the conditions and unexpected obstacles.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Nesmith told NBC News. “I’ve never seen a fire like this or clouds like we’ve seen all over Greece. Everywhere we go, you look up and it’s there.”

Nesmith traveled from Alabama for a wedding in Greece. She landed over the weekend hours after the fires started in Varnavas. It was like a sight she had never seen.

“Flying into the airport, we couldn’t believe all the smoke,” she said.

Unfortunately, there has already been one casualty reported. On Monday, a woman’s body was found inside of a building in Vrilissia. Several people have been treated for burns and smoke inhalation as air quality continues to be poor.

Response to the fires on Sunday was rapid, but there was only so much the firefighters could do. A prolonged drought has dried the area; when combined with strong winds, the fires spread quickly.

As a result, Greece requested help from other European Union members and they responded promptly. Ursula von der Leyen issued a statement on X, signally unity among the union.

We stand with Greece as it battles devastating fires.

The EU is sending support from its #rescEU fleet: two planes from Italy and a helicopter from France.

Firefighting teams from Czechia and Romania are also being deployed.

This is #EUSolidarity in action.

— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) August 12, 2024

Thanks to all of the help, scattered hot spots are all that remain with no “active front” according to Vassilis Kikilias, Greece’s minister for climate crisis and civil protection.

More than 700 firefighters offered support in stopping the fire, with 27 forest commando teams and 35 aircrafts and helicopters providing aid.