Forest fire near Lamia, Greece, partly contained after threatening homes
A wildfire broke out in a forest above Lamia, central Greece, on Tuesday morning, prompting a large firefighting operation near the edge of the city.
A forest fire that broke out in an agroforestry area above Lamia, in central Greece, on Tuesday was brought under partial control within about two and a half hours, the fire service said. No injuries or damage to property have been reported.
The fire started shortly before 11:30 local time in the Prophet Elias forest, above the city's KEYP military facility, fire officials said. Flames and thick black smoke were visible from Lamia, alarming residents because the blaze was burning close to houses, local outlet Lamia Report said.
Difficult access to the terrain made aerial firefighting decisive. Two PZL aircraft from Lamia airport were the first to reach the scene, followed by targeted water drops from a helicopter, Newsbomb reported. The fire was contained within a steep ravine.
On the ground, 40 firefighters worked with two foot patrol units of the fire service's 4th Emergency Response Unit, laying hoses over long distances through the difficult terrain, Newsbomb and ERT News reported. Ten vehicles, one helicopter and two aircraft were deployed in total, Kathimerini reported.
Soldiers and staff from the KEYP military facility, together with volunteers, assisted the firefighting effort, Newsbomb said. The region of Sterea Ellada and the municipality of Lamia supported the operation with machinery, while municipal and civil protection water tankers also helped.
Shortly before 14:00, the fire service said the blaze had been brought under partial control. Fthiotida's fire-setting crime investigation unit has been sent to the scene to establish the cause, Kathimerini and ERT News reported.
What we know
- A fire broke out in a forest area above Lamia, central Greece, shortly before 11:30 local time on Tuesday.
- It burned close to the city, near the Prophet Elias forest above the KEYP military facility, alarming nearby residents.
- Two aircraft and a helicopter carried out water drops because ground access was difficult; the fire was contained within a steep ravine.
- Forty firefighters, 10 vehicles, one helicopter and two aircraft were deployed, officials said.
- Soldiers, volunteers and municipal and civil protection water tankers also assisted.
- The fire was declared under partial control shortly before 14:00.
Not yet confirmed
- The cause of the fire has not been established; Fthiotida's fire-setting crime investigation unit is examining the scene.
Why it matters for Europe
The fire burned close enough to Lamia's southern edge for smoke to be visible across the city and for residents to raise concerns about nearby homes, even though officials say no structures were damaged. The deployment of Fthiotida's fire-setting crime investigation unit, rather than treating the blaze as accidental from the outset, reflects how closely Greek authorities scrutinise forest fires that break out near inhabited areas.
The fact that the first aircraft to reach the scene were based at Lamia's own airport, rather than flown in from elsewhere, allowed a faster initial response in terrain that ground crews struggled to reach because of the steep ravine where the fire took hold.
Sources
Reported by 3 reports from 3 independent outlets in 2 countries.
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Questions and answers
- Where did the fire break out?
- In an agroforestry area in the Prophet Elias forest above Lamia's KEYP military facility, in central Greece.
- Was anyone hurt or any property damaged?
- No injuries or property damage have been reported.
- Is the fire out?
- The fire service said it was brought under partial control shortly before 14:00 on Tuesday; full containment has not been confirmed.
This article was written with AI assistance from 3 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.