Wildfires cause death and destruction of forest and houses in Greece

Summary:

Firefighters in Greece battled a series of forest fires in July 2018, which were fanned by winds of up to 100km/h and devastated the village of Mati, also engulfing homes and vehicles.

A number of casualties were announced and three days of national mourning were declared.

There was much criticism by those affected and others of the response of the authorities fighting the fires and dealing with the aftermath, including of the insensitive nature of the reaction of the Prime Minister of Greece Alexis Tsipras. Greece’s civil protection minister Nikos Toskas resigned on the 3 August 2018. By the 5 August 2018 the death toll from the fires had risen to 90.

Deutsche Welle, 02.08.18: Fires leave Greece in despair https://p.dw.com/p/32MbE

LSE European Institute: EuroppBlog, 31.07.18: Leadership is about character, courage and empathy: Alexis Tsipras has failed on all fronts during the Greek fires http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2018/07/31/leadership-is-about-character-courage-and-empathy-alexis-tsipras-has-failed-on-all-fronts-during-the-greek-fires/

The Guardian, 03.08.18: Greek minister resigns in wake of wildfires that killed 88 people https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/aug/03/greek-minister-resigns-in-wake-of-wildfires-that-killed-88-people

Kathimerini, 04.08.18: [Editorial]: Everything is wrong http://www.ekathimerini.com/231433/opinion/ekathimerini/comment/everything-is-wrong

EurActiv, 25.07.18: Greece in mourning as horrifying wildfires kill at least 74 https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/greece-in-mourning-as-horrifying-wildfires-kill-at-least-74/

Euro|topics, 24.07.18: Death by fire: to what extent is Athens to blame? https://www.eurotopics.net/en/203490/death-by-fire-to-what-extent-is-athens-to-blame

European Commission: Statement by Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides on the devastating fires in Greece http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_STATEMENT-18-4662_en.htm

BBC News, 24.07.18: Greece wildfires: At least 74 dead as blaze 'struck like flamethrower' https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-44941934

The Guardian, 24.07.18: Greece wildfires: scores dead as holiday resort devastated https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jul/23/greeks-urged-to-leave-homes-as-wildfires-spread-near-athens

Kathimerini, 25.07.18: Search continues as wildfires death toll climbs to 80 http://www.ekathimerini.com/231084/article/ekathimerini/news/search-continues-as-wildfires-death-toll-climbs-to-80

The Guardian, 24.07.18: Greek wildfires: dry winter and strong winds led to tinderbox conditions https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jul/24/greek-wildfires-dry-winter-and-strong-winds-led-to-tinderbox-conditions

EurActiv, 24.07.18: Greece seeks help from EU allies to tackle raging fires https://www.euractiv.com/section/climate-environment/news/greece-seeks-help-from-eu-allies-to-tackle-raging-fires/

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