Be careful

Our thoughts are with the people who have lost their homes in the area of Kineta (West Athens area) The wind is about 7 Beaufort there which hinders the airplanes to take water from the sea and throw it on the fires and help the firefighers on the ground. The situation is dramatic there.

Photo taken at 20.32 hours tonight

Strong winds tonight on Skopelos. In an area already destroyed not a lot of more damage can be done but a strong wind can ignite a small smouldering piece of wood and get the fire started again somewhere else. Tonight is a very critical night. There are also talks of rain and that might be a blessing.

Be extremely careful with your cigarette butts, your waste. With this kind of heat and wind the damage is done very easily again.

Destroyed forrest at Amarandos. Photo taken from the sea

Photo Ovidiu Temeo via Meteo.gr

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Fire at Amarandos, the next day

(Photo’s Costas Andreou)

A very big thank you must be given to all firefighters on the ground and in the air.

Estimates are that around 500.000 m 2 (500 stremma) have been burned in the fire yesterday. The fire is under control and that is why there are no airplanes anymore but on foot there are many firefighters accessing and controlling the area. Tomorrow we will have around 4 Beaufort the whole day so it is important no fire starts again.

Many people are asking about the three trees that stand at the edge of the cliffs of Amarandos. They have not been burned but what about the 500.000 m2 of pine forest? How could this happen? What a shame that such a big part of extreme beauty has been lost. There are many rumors flying around that the fire started because of a bbq gone wrong, a cigarette from a person who fell asleep etc. etc. Reports about somebody hurt, somebody that has died. All terrible news. Maybe it is time to take some measures. There is a reason that wild camping is forbidden, better information about open air cooking. Signs that tell people how to behave and preserve certain areas on the island.

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