Fires on Pelion, Parnitha doused
Fires on Pelion, Parnitha doused
7 July 2007
published by www.ekathimerini.com
Greece — Fire services on Mount Parnitha and in Pelion, near Volos, remainedon alert last night after managing to contain new blazes that had broken out onThursday in the two locations, already ravaged by fire in major blazes last week.
The new fires broke out on Thursday afternoon and spread rapidly as they werefanned by winds reaching 8 on the Beaufort scale. It is unclear whether the newblazes were kindled from the embers of earlier fires at these locations or thework of arsonists.
Firefighters were also summoned to tackle two other blazes – in Prodromos, inViotia, and Kokla, in Messinia.
Thessaloniki’s fire service was also busy yesterday after a large blaze brokeout in a branch of Praktiker, the home improvement store, in the municipality ofPylaia. According to the fire service, the blaze broke out in the early hours ina warehouse containing wooden products and flammable goods. Fueled by theflammable liquids, it spread quickly but was extinguished by yesterday evening.It is unclear how the blaze started.
Citizens protesting the government’s failure to protect Mount Parnitha andother stretches of Greek forestland from destruction are due to stage a protestoutside Parliament at noon tomorrow. Three protest rallies are also scheduledfor tomorrow morning at the foot of Mount Parnitha.
