Two fire fronts in the region of Evros, north-eastern Greece, are raging for 12. consecutive day on Wednesday, August 30, 2023. The residents of three villages, Kotronia, Giannouli and Sidiro, were ordered to evacuate early afternoon.
The fires are currently in the area of Leptokarya and particularly at Meghalo Rema and Kotronia that has been reportedly surrounded by the flames.
“These are not clouds. This is fire smoke west of our village,” posted a local.
Δεν είναι σύννεφα ! #φωτιες δυτικά του χωριού μας ! #εβρος pic.twitter.com/QXi9ZHyK6i
— Siannis 💙 (@sar_iannis) August 30, 2023
The change of the winds direction from northeast to south is pushing the blaze to another direction and seems to be uncontrollable.
Winds are currently blowing with intensity of 5-6 Beaufort.
It is estimated that the fires in the area that started on August 19, have burned down more than 800 square kilometers.
Video: Inside the Dadia Forest as firefighters try to open anti-fire zones and take the flames under control at the same time.
Συγκλονιστικό βίντεο από το Δάσος της Δαδιάς… pic.twitter.com/ntXB3qa0aA
— Areti Athanasiou (@AretiAthanasiu) August 29, 2023
The meteo service of the National Observatory of Athens has captured in a video the development of the fire and the burned forest and agricultural land from August 19 until August 30.
🔥 Η εξέλιξη της καμένης έκτασης από δορυφορικές απεικονίσεις στη μεγάλη πυρκαγιά στον Έβρο.
Άρθρο: https://t.co/6ghTicVG10@CopernicusEU@CopernicusEMS pic.twitter.com/NTW8RKZdKr
— meteo.gr – Ο καιρός (@meteogr) August 30, 2023
#ImageOfTheDay
The historic fire in the #Evros area of Greece🇬🇷 is approaching the towns of #Kotronia and #Dadia
🔴The Dadia forest and National Park have been severely affected
🔴8⃣0⃣,8⃣7⃣3⃣ hectares burned⬇️The burn scar as seen by #Copernicus #Sentinel2🇪🇺🛰️ on 28 August pic.twitter.com/GVQM1Mswbk
— Copernicus EU (@CopernicusEU) August 29, 2023
Before-After
Dadia forest: Before – After ; still burning on 12. consecutive day #Greece 🔥 pic.twitter.com/B2DC2hscxw
— Keep Talking Greece (@keeptalkingGR) August 30, 2023
100 fire engines with 475 firefighters, 16 teams of firefighters on foot assisted by 11 firefighting aircraft and five helicopters are operating in the Evros area.
Video: Lefkimi anti-fire zones
At the same time, volunteers and locals desperately try to open anti-fire zones to take flames under control.
The beautiful virgin forest of Dadia, home to rare birds and wildlife, will need estimated 100 to 150 years to recover.