Mediterranean nations feel force of fires
Friday, August 31, 2007
WHILE Greece edged closer to mastering forest fires that have killed more than 63 people, other countries on the Mediterranean and the Adriatic struggled with deadly woodland blazes yesterday.
In Algeria, forest fires fed by winds off the Sahara and still burning out of control in the north of the country had claimed eight lives in the past 48 hours, said the country's civil protection services.
In Spain, 400 firefighters were forced to give ground as a fierce blaze that started two days ago in the northeast continued to grow in strength, fed by the hot weather and summer winds.
In Croatia a firefighter died in a fire that destroyed some 500ha of forest on an island off the Adriatic coast.
Greek firemen were still battling a huge blaze in the west of the Peloponnese peninsula, where residents had refused to leave their homes despite an order to evacuate, a spokesman for the fire service said.
Five water-bombing planes and four helicopters were trying to douse flames which were spreading through parched forests and olive groves.
Another blaze continued in the centre of Evia, the Aegean island to the north-east of Athens, although no villages there were under threat.
After a week of fighting the blazes, most of the fires had been brought under control, said officials.
But figures released by the local authorities revealed the extent of the devastation. In the Peloponnese alone, more than 150,000ha of land and forest were burned and 2,000 homes were gutted or destroyed.
In Algeria, firefighters and soldiers were battling 90 separate fires scattered across 19 regions in the north of the country.AFP
In Algeria, forest fires fed by winds off the Sahara and still burning out of control in the north of the country had claimed eight lives in the past 48 hours, said the country's civil protection services.
In Spain, 400 firefighters were forced to give ground as a fierce blaze that started two days ago in the northeast continued to grow in strength, fed by the hot weather and summer winds.
In Croatia a firefighter died in a fire that destroyed some 500ha of forest on an island off the Adriatic coast.
Greek firemen were still battling a huge blaze in the west of the Peloponnese peninsula, where residents had refused to leave their homes despite an order to evacuate, a spokesman for the fire service said.
Five water-bombing planes and four helicopters were trying to douse flames which were spreading through parched forests and olive groves.
Another blaze continued in the centre of Evia, the Aegean island to the north-east of Athens, although no villages there were under threat.
After a week of fighting the blazes, most of the fires had been brought under control, said officials.
But figures released by the local authorities revealed the extent of the devastation. In the Peloponnese alone, more than 150,000ha of land and forest were burned and 2,000 homes were gutted or destroyed.
In Algeria, firefighters and soldiers were battling 90 separate fires scattered across 19 regions in the north of the country.AFP
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