Greece: Emergency crews responding to wildfire in Evia Island as of July 29

Emergency crews are responding to a wildfire in Evia Island as of the afternoon of July 29. The fire broke out between the villages of Krezia and Petries around 15:00 July 29. Strong winds are causing the fire to spread rapidly and it is threatening homes in the area; further fire growth is likely in the coming hours and days. Around 100 firefighting personnel are on site tackling the blaze. Authorities have ordered residents of Koskina, Krezia, and Petries to evacuate due to the threat posed by the wildfire. The fire has crossed a national highway and several other roads are closed in the vicinity of the fire.

The fire could cause power outages and lingering disruptions to transport and business in the area. The status of roads can change over the coming hours and days; authorities could close additional routes within the fire complex and evacuate more communities due to fire activity and response operations needs. Traffic disruptions are also likely during reentry periods after authorities lift evacuation orders. Low visibility from smoke and possible ashfall could contribute to traffic delays and congestion in the region.

Smoke from the fire may also noticeably worsen air quality in the area over the short term. Smoke from fires is a mixture of gases and fine particles from burning trees, plants, and possibly building materials. Such smoke can hurt the eyes, irritate the respiratory system, and worsen chronic heart and lung diseases. Smoke may also worsen symptoms for people with preexisting respiratory conditions, such as allergies, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).