The forest fire in the Dadia forest in Soufli, Evros was still burning on Saturday, fire brigade spokesperson Yiannis Artopios said in a press briefing.
He noted that the fire in the Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli National Park was exceptionally difficult and has been burning since Thursday though it now presented a much improved picture in the northeast.
Artopios said that a force of 320 fire-fighters and 68 fire engines has been working incessantly since Friday night, along with 13 ground teams, a very large number of volunteer fire-fighters and volunteer vehicles, while six water-bombing helicopters and nine helicopters are operating in the air. Their efforts were hampered, however, by the dense smoke and lack of wind, combined with high humidity during the night, which hampered the effort to fight the fire from the air.
"For this reason, where possible we are trying to use forces on the ground and earth-moving machinery to create additional firebreaks and strips. All the fire-fighting forces of Eastern Macedonia-Thrace have been placed on alert since yesterday. Civil Protection forces are providing every assistance," he added.
Artopios also announced that a fire was underway in Tsakatoura, Grevena, in a remote mountainous area, while another major fire that started at 13:34 on Saturday afternoon was burning mixed farm and forest land in Akritochori, Messinia, with 61 fire-fighters, five ground teams, 14 vehicles, four aircraft and two helicopters battling the flames.

Fire on Lesvos

Regarding the fire burning on Lesvos, Artopios said that it started just after 10:00 on Saturday, with 50 fire fighters, two ground teams and 17 fire engines sent to put out the blaze, assisted by nine aircraft and a helicopter permanently stationed on the island, as well as volunteer and local authority forces and machinery. A message to local residents to evacuate Vatera was sent at 11:25, he said.