More than 150 firefighters battle blaze near Konitsa in Greece
In Greece, more than 150 firefighters are battling a large forest fire near the town of Konitsa in the country’s northwest. The fire broke out on August 31 in the mountainous area of Trapezitsa in the Epirus region and intensified after significant flare-ups in recent days.
Firefighting forces
According to Anadolu Agency, eight ground teams and 48 vehicles have also been deployed at the site. Eight aircraft and four helicopters are supporting the operation from the air.
Firefighting efforts are complicated by steep, mostly inaccessible terrain and dense vegetation. Firefighters are focused on preventing the flames from spreading toward Konitsa or crossing the river into the mountainous Timfi area, which is part of the wider Pindus range.
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Warning over dense smoke
Konitsa’s civil protection service warned that aerial firefighting operations would worsen the smoke that has already covered the town. People with respiratory or heart conditions were advised to stay indoors in air-conditioned spaces or leave the area in advance.
Residents were also urged not to travel toward the fire and to keep narrow roads clear for emergency vehicles. Local authorities said the spread of the fire is being fueled by dense juniper and pine thickets, old fir forests, accumulated combustible materials, and the high resin content of the vegetation.
