n just 15 days in August, the total area burned in fires across Greece has already exceeded the country’s 20-year average, WWF Greece has warned.
According to the organization, more than 32,123 acres of forest and agricultural land have gone up in flames in only two weeks, with devastating effects on human and animal lives, property, and nature.
The most destructive blazes in those day were recorded in Chios (10,499 acres), Philippiada (6,515 acres), Zakynthos (5,671 acres), Achaia (4,158 acres), Keratea–Palaia Fokaia (3,906 acres), and Helidoni in the Ilia prefecture (1,538 acres).
Total burnt area on Chios island from Copernicus EMS data
WWF stressed that the destruction so far has already surpassed the average burned area for the past two decades combined, raising alarm as Greece has not yet entered the most dangerous part of the fire season, typically the second half of August.
“The fact that this year’s burned areas have already exceeded the 20-year average is particularly worrying, since we are still in the middle of the fire season,” the organization said. The fire season in Greece officially ends in October.
WWF added that the full scale of the environmental and economic damage will only be clear once the fire season is over. Current estimates are based on satellite data from Copernicus EMS.
Source: Tovima.com
