Greece Wildfire Under Control, Says Govt

In a commendable effort, firefighters have made significant progress in containing the massive blaze that has ravaged Dadia National Park in northeastern Greece for the past two weeks. Classified as a "megafire" by experts, this destructive inferno has laid waste to over 81,000 hectares (200,155 acres) of pristine forested terrain, which is protected under the purview of the European agency Natura 2000. Government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis, in an update on Monday, conveyed optimistic news, stating, "According to the latest information from our firefighters, the Dadia fire front is on its way to being completely under control." Marinakis further mentioned that firefighting teams remain vigilant, continuing to monitor the area for any signs of resurgence. The widespread devastation witnessed in Dadia constitutes nearly half of the total land consumed by wildfires in Greece since the onset of summer, as reported by the European climate service Copernicus. Greece, like many Mediterranean countries, contends with formidable wildfires every summer. This year, these relentless blazes claimed the lives of 26 individuals and devoured at least 150,000 hectares of land, according to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. In response to the catastrophe, Prime Minister Mitsotakis has vowed to provide compensation to affected farmers and residents whose homes have been impacted in the affected regions. Additionally, he plans to personally visit the Evros region, which is home to the beleaguered Dadia forest, to assess the extent of the damage and offer support to those affected. Last week, the government unveiled a series of measures aimed at reforesting the affected areas and addressing the looming threat of flooding. However, amidst these ongoing efforts to rehabilitate the landscape, a new concern arises. A government spokesperson cautioned, "After the prolonged risk of fires, the meteorological service has warned of serious bad weather which could hit our country in the coming days," adding, "Authorities are on alert... and we ask citizens to carefully follow instructions given."