Greece Bolsters Firefighting with International Help Amid Wildfire Crisis

Greece is enhancing its firefighting efforts this summer by deploying 240 firefighters from Bulgaria, Malta, Moldova, and Romania. This annual reinforcement comes as the nation grapples with severe wildfires. The first team has already arrived, and more are expected soon, as the country braces for dangerous fire conditions.

Greece is strengthening its firefighting capacity by bringing in 240 firefighters from Bulgaria, Malta, Moldova, and Romania this summer, officials announced Tuesday. The teams will be stationed in the country during high-risk months, July through mid-September.

This marks the third consecutive year that Greece has sought international aid to combat devastating forest fires during its hot, dry summers. The first contingent from Bulgaria has already arrived in Thessaloniki, with a team from Malta expected shortly, according to the Civil Protection Ministry.

On Monday, significant evacuations occurred on the Aegean islands of Kos and Chios as firefighters and aircraft battled forest fires. While five people were slightly injured, one man was fined for allegedly causing a fire on Chios. The fire department reported 36 new blazes in 24 hours, mainly tackled early.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis warned that this summer is expected to be "particularly dangerous" for wildfires due to hot, dry, and windy conditions, predicted to worsen after a mild, dry winter. Last year's fires claimed more than 20 lives in Greece.

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