One person has died in Greece during the country’s worst wildfire of the year, which continued to burn on the outskirts of Athens on Tuesday.
Fuelled by strong winds, the wildfire raced across parched landscape north of the capital, wreaking widespread destruction with dozens of houses, cars and businesses turned into charred shells.
The blaze broke out on Sunday near the village of Varnavas, 35km north of the capital, destroying homes, vehicles and parts of bone-dry forest.
It continued to spread, stoked by gale-force winds, growing to a 30km front line of flames more than 25 metres high in places. It reached Vrilissia, about 14km from central Athens, a day ago, where woman believed to be about 60 years old was found dead, the fire brigade said.
State news agency ANA reported that the woman’s body was recovered on Tuesday from inside a burnt-out Athens factory building in Patima Chalandriou, part of a municipality of more than 70,000 people that was partly evacuated on Monday.
At least one firefighter suffered serious burns battling the blaze, while another was admitted to hospital with breathing issues, fire brigade spokesman Vassilis Vathrakogiannis said on Monday.
According to the Health Ministry, 66 people have been treated for injuries related to the fire since Sunday. The cause of the wildfire has not yet been determined.
Hundreds of firefighters backed by fire engines and waterbombing aircraft, reducing the intensity of the blaze, which choked the capital with smoke and ash, stirring panic in neighbourhoods that had not seen such a fire so close to the centre in decades.
Col Vathrakogiannis said firefighters were longer battling a single front but “many active localised blazes”, mostly around Marathon and Pendeli.
The Marathon area was the site of a famous battle between Greeks and Persians in 490BC and hosts a museum and archaeological site, but there were no immediate reports of fire damage to either.
Winds were expected to pick up again later on Tuesday and the country will remain on high fire alert until Thursday, with strong winds and temperatures forecast to reach up to 40°C.
“The overall picture looks improved but there are still many fronts in various areas,” said a fire brigade official.
More than 30 areas have been forced to evacuate, along with at least three hospitals, with power cuts in parts of the wider Athens region. Passenger ferries heading to the port of Rafina, north-east of the capital, were diverted.
Police have helped evacuate more than 250 people, and some residents spent the night in shelters.
The flames have left abandoned homes, burnt cars and charred fields in their wake. Local newspaper Proto Thema said the damage spanned 100 square kilometres and included 100 homes.
Reinforcements from several EU states as well as Serbia and Turkey are expected on Tuesday, after Athens sought international assistance, activating Europe’s mutual civil protection mechanism.
Greece is also expecting help from France, Italy and the Czech Republic with aircraft and firefighters.
Meteorologists had warned of the increased danger of wildfires because of weather conditions from Sunday until Thursday.
Wildfires have been a common feature of Greek summers for years, but climate change has brought hotter weather and less rain – ideal conditions for large-scale fires.
The southern European country experienced its warmest winter on record this year and was on track for its hottest summer, with scant rain in many areas for months.
The worsening situation was mirrored across southern Europe, including in Spain and the Balkans.
In 2018, a massive fire swept through the seaside town of Mati, east of Athens, trapping people in their homes and on the roads as they tried to flee in their cars.
More than 100 people died, including some who drowned trying to swim away from the flames.
Last year, wildfires in Greece killed more than 20 people, including 18 migrants who became trapped by the flames as they trekked through a forest in north-eastern Greece and were caught by a massive blaze that burnt for more than two weeks.
Wildfires on Monday also hit neighbouring North Macedonia and Albania, which have had high summer temperatures and strong winds.
Hydrogen: Market potential
Hydrogen has an estimated $11 trillion market potential, according to Bank of America Securities and is expected to generate $2.5tn in direct revenues and $11tn of indirect infrastructure by 2050 as its production increases six-fold.
"We believe we are reaching the point of harnessing the element that comprises 90 per cent of the universe, effectively and economically,” the bank said in a recent report.
Falling costs of renewable energy and electrolysers used in green hydrogen production is one of the main catalysts for the increasingly bullish sentiment over the element.
The cost of electrolysers used in green hydrogen production has halved over the last five years and will fall to 60 to 90 per cent by the end of the decade, acceding to Haim Israel, equity strategist at Merrill Lynch. A global focus on decarbonisation and sustainability is also a big driver in its development.
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
ALL THE RESULTS
Bantamweight
Siyovush Gulmomdov (TJK) bt Rey Nacionales (PHI) by decision.
Lightweight
Alexandru Chitoran (ROU) bt Hussein Fakhir Abed (SYR) by submission.
Catch 74kg
Omar Hussein (JOR) bt Tohir Zhuraev (TJK) by decision.
Strawweight (Female)
Seo Ye-dam (KOR) bt Weronika Zygmunt (POL) by decision.
Featherweight
Kaan Ofli (TUR) bt Walid Laidi (ALG) by TKO.
Lightweight
Abdulla Al Bousheiri (KUW) bt Leandro Martins (BRA) by TKO.
Welterweight
Ahmad Labban (LEB) bt Sofiane Benchohra (ALG) by TKO.
Bantamweight
Jaures Dea (CAM) v Nawras Abzakh (JOR) no contest.
Lightweight
Mohammed Yahya (UAE) bt Glen Ranillo (PHI) by TKO round 1.
Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) bt Aidan Aguilera (AUS) by TKO round 1.
Welterweight
Mounir Lazzez (TUN) bt Sasha Palatkinov (HKG) by TKO round 1.
Featherweight title bout
Romando Dy (PHI) v Lee Do-gyeom (KOR) by KO round 1.
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
The years Ramadan fell in May
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
The National in Davos
We are bringing you the inside story from the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, a gathering of hundreds of world leaders, top executives and billionaires.
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More from Neighbourhood Watch
More on animal trafficking
Small Victories: The True Story of Faith No More by Adrian Harte
Jawbone Press
The years Ramadan fell in May
The five pillars of Islam
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8
Power: 712hp at 6,100rpm
Torque: 881Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 19.6 l/100km
Price: Dh380,000
On sale: now
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
More from Neighbourhood Watch
More on animal trafficking
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The five pillars of Islam
Signs%20of%20%20%20%20%20%20%20heat%20stroke
%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3EThe%20loss%20of%20sodium%20chloride%20in%20our%20sweat%20can%20lead%20to%20confusion%20and%20an%20altered%20mental%20status%20and%20slurred%20speech%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EBody%20temperature%20above%2039%C2%B0C%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EHot%2C%20dry%20and%20red%20or%20damp%20skin%20can%20indicate%20heatstroke%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EA%20faster%20pulse%20than%20usual%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EDizziness%2C%20nausea%20and%20headaches%20are%20also%20signs%20of%20overheating%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EIn%20extreme%20cases%2C%20victims%20can%20lose%20consciousness%20and%20require%20immediate%20medical%20attention%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Chris%20Jordan%20on%20Sanchit
%3Cp%3EChris%20Jordan%20insists%20Sanchit%20Sharma%20will%20make%20an%20impact%20on%20the%20ILT20%2C%20despite%20him%20starting%20the%20campaign%20on%20Gulf%20Giants'%20bench.%3Cbr%3EThe%20young%20UAE%20seamer%20was%20an%20instant%20success%20for%20the%20side%20last%20season%2C%20and%20remained%20part%20of%20the%20XI%20as%20they%20claimed%20the%20title.%3Cbr%3EHe%20has%20yet%20to%20feature%20this%20term%20as%20the%20Giants%20have%20preferred%20Aayan%20Khan%20and%20Usman%20Khan%20as%20their%20two%20UAE%20players%20so%20far.%3Cbr%3EHowever%2C%20England%20quick%20Jordan%20is%20sure%20his%20young%20colleague%20will%20have%20a%20role%20to%20play%20at%20some%20point.%3Cbr%3E%22Me%20and%20Sanchit%20have%20a%20great%20relationship%20from%20last%20season%2C%22%20Jordan%20said.%3Cbr%3E%22Whenever%20I%20am%20working%20with%20more%20inexperienced%20guys%2C%20I%20take%20pleasure%20in%20sharing%20as%20much%20as%20possible.%3Cbr%3E%22I%20know%20what%20it%20was%20like%20when%20I%20was%20younger%20and%20learning%20off%20senior%20players.%3Cbr%3E%22Last%20season%20Sanchit%20kick-started%20our%20season%20in%20Abu%20Dhabi%20with%20a%20brilliant%20man-of-the-match%20performance.%3Cbr%3E%22Coming%20into%20this%20one%2C%20I%20have%20seen%20a%20lot%20of%20improvement.%20The%20focus%20he%20is%20showing%20will%20only%20stand%20him%20in%20good%20stead.%22%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
More coverage from the Future Forum
FA Cup fifth round draw
Sheffield Wednesday v Manchester City
Reading/Cardiff City v Sheffield United
Chelsea v Shrewsbury Town/Liverpool
West Bromwich Albion v Newcastle United/Oxford United
Leicester City v Coventry City/Birmingham City
Northampton Town/Derby County v Manchester United
Southampton/Tottenham Hotspur v Norwich City
Portsmouth v Arsenal
More coverage from the Future Forum
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
More on Quran memorisation:
'Morbius'
Director: Daniel Espinosa
Stars: Jared Leto, Matt Smith, Adria Arjona
Rating: 2/5
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
