SKIEN/OSLO (VG) Drought and forest fires are now affecting several countries in Europe. Now Norwegian fire teams are getting ready to travel to fire-ravaged Greece.
Less than 20 minutes ago
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Greece is among the countries that have been strongly affected by forest fires in July. Last week was several cities in the country evacuated.
Earlier in the week, fire crews managed to contain the flames that hit villages on the Greek island of Lesvos, but on Wednesday afternoon there were reports that the forest fire had flared up again.
Local Greek media describes the forest fires that keep flaring up as “a fiery nightmare”.
At the same time, on the mainland, forest fires in recent days have threatened, among other things, Krestana in western Greece. On Wednesday, there are also reports of fires in, among other places, Psakoudia, Halkidiki, Nemea and Astros.
Now Norwegian firefighters will contribute to the fight against the flames in Greece.
–To Greece to practice
The Directorate for Social Security and Emergency Preparedness (DSB) is sending two teams of forest fire personnel from Telemark to Greece.
Elisabeth Askim is acting assistant director at DSB, and says that good Norwegian preparedness is about being prepared.
– That is why we are sending Norwegian personnel to Europe for training for the first time, says Askim.
Ove Stokkeland, fire chief in Skien, is one of a total of 27 Norwegians who are traveling down. He says the teams are excited to gain new experiences.
– A completely different temperature and different conditions than what we are used to, we are looking forward to it, says Stokkeland.
The first team leaves on 30 July and is replaced by the second team two weeks later. Each period shall last 14 days.
–Collaborates with Finns
The Norwegian fire crews are stationed together with a Finnish team. Both will cooperate with the Greek fire service.
– We will probably solve the mission together, says the fire chief.
– Safety is a high priority. I also don’t think our hosts in Greece are going to send us on missions where there is a high risk of getting hurt. These are fires and it is dangerous, but I feel we are well prepared, says Stokkeland.
–– What do you expect from the assignment?
– It will be long days. We have to make an assessment when we first get there whether we have enough competence to carry out the task, whether we have the right equipment and whether it is safe enough.
The two teams will be stationed in the city of Tripoli in the center of the Peloponnese peninsula, at a fire station just outside the centre.
This year’s forest fire season in Europe has been brutal. The graph shows area in square kilometers. Area burned in forest fires this year is very much higher than is normal at this time of year.
Spread with the wind
The fire that flared up on Lesvos on Wednesday began on Saturday morning around ten o’clock. It spread on two fronts, one of which moved to the village Vrisa and the other against Vatera.
Vatera is an important tourist destination on the island, with many holiday homes. The Greek newspaper iefimerida writes that many of these were converted into homes for residents of Vrisa, which was hit by an earthquake in 2017.
The fire spread quickly at the weekend due to strong gusts of wind. Several houses and buildings burned down. 50 firefighters, volunteers, locals and business owners battled to stop the flames, which in some places reached all the way down to the sea, according to the Greek website.
–Will be prepared in Norway
Elisabeth Askim says Norway has not been used to similar fires in this country.
– It is getting drier and warmer in Norway, so this is something we want to prepare for. Forest fires in Norway are going to become more intense even though we are not used to such fires, says Askim.
– That is why it is important for us to train and practice together with colleagues who are used to more extreme and more demanding fires.
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