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🇬🇷 Greece /Disasters & Emergencies

Konitsa: Fire burns uncontrolled in the Trapezitsa pine forest for an eighth day

From Kathimerini · () Greek

Translated from Greek and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

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  • Firefighters battled a forest fire in Trapezitsa, Konitsa, for an eighth day, with the blaze still burning out of control in dense pine forest.
  • Weaker winds allowed ground crews to work more effectively overnight, but steep terrain, ravines and mountain passes continued to hamper access.
  • About 170 firefighters, supported by volunteers, vehicles, drones and aircraft, were deployed as authorities issued two 112 alerts on Sunday because of smoke and the fire's intensity.

The battle against the fire in Trapezitsa, Konitsa, entered its eighth day on Monday, September 7. The picture had improved slightly by morning, but the flames had not been brought under control and continued to burn inside dense pine forest.

The weakening of the strong winds that had severely complicated operations allowed ground crews to work more effectively during the night. Konitsa Mayor Andreas Pappaspirou said the situation was better, while stressing that the fire remained active in difficult terrain marked by ravines, mountain passes and steep slopes that make access extremely hard for firefighters.

The fire broke out on the afternoon of August 31 in a forested area of Trapezitsa. After about three days of continuous operations, it appeared to have eased significantly and was considered under control. Fire crews nevertheless stayed in the area because hot spots remained in parts of the forest. A major flare-up on Friday, September 4, on the slope opposite Stomiou Monastery brought strong ground and aerial forces back into action. On Sunday, September 6, powerful winds fueled new flare-ups, sending the flames through the dense forest, over the mountain summit and into rugged woodland. Thick smoke reached Konitsa.

The operation was reinforced over the weekend. Around 170 firefighters, including 10 specialist foot teams, were deployed alongside dozens of fire engines, volunteers, water tankers and earthmoving machinery. Epirus's specialist drone unit monitored active hot spots and the fire's movement in areas that ground crews could barely reach. Up to 13 aircraft were available on Sunday, while two helicopters began water drops on Monday morning. Fire service spokesman Giannis Artopios described it as a "difficult fire" because it was burning in dense pine forest across ravines and steep terrain. Two 112 messages were issued on Sunday, urging residents to protect themselves from smoke and later asking people in the Konitsa area to remain indoors.

difficult fire

· Giannis ArtopiosThe Greek Fire Service spokesman described the blaze, citing the dense pine forest and steep, ravined terrain.
About this summary

Originally published by Kathimerini in Greek. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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