Fire in the Pieria mountains / “Beautiful virgin forest is being destroyed” – Volunteer forest firefighter injured

The fire continues to rage for the third day in the Sarakatsana area, in the Pieria Mountains, while a while ago one was also injured volunteer forest firefighters.

131 firefighters with eight infantry divisions – including forest commando groups – have been thrown into the battle with the flames, while with them are 35 Fire Department vehicles, 3 helicopters and 2 aircraft.

A little while ago, a volunteer forest firefighter was injured at the time he was trying to cut tree trunks with a chainsaw and was immediately transferred to Katerinis General Hospital.

The devastating fire reached the first peak at 2,005 meters. According to pierianews.gr, the “Lapoussi” It was one green peak of Pieriwhile now it is damaged.

They only operate aerial means

As the website states, to extinguish the fire, the forestry service mobilized the residents and the forestry cooperatives of the neighboring settlements (Ritini, Elatochori, Ag. Dimitrios, Livadi, etc.) who helped to open the fire. 3 fire zones which were created by the Forestry Service together with machinery of the Municipality and the Region.

«Unfortunately, the ground firefighting forces cannot approach the fire, so only aerial means are attempted. It is a very difficult place, the firemen cannot reach there, because it is very dangerous. The fire is in full swing, and the unpleasant thing is that it is burning our beautiful virgin forest, one of the most beautiful forests in Greece. This is the saddest thing, we lose a lung of oxygen. The only good news is that we don’t have any strong winds today” points out the mayor of Katerinis, Ioannis Doumos.

“The fire started in the Pieria Mountains above the village of Ritini Pieria at an altitude of 1100 meters on Sunday at noonand reached the ridge at 1900 meters, almost at the borders of the Kozani prefecture” said earlier this morning to APE-MPE the forest chief of Pieria Petros Papapetrou about the fire that continues to burn for the third day in the “Sarakatsana” location.

According to the forester “the fire is mostly creeping meaning it is under the trees and burning the undergrowth. The fire in a few places turned into an epitopical one, that is, burning the tops of trees. But even in these few cases the fire spread only to the conifers because they are more flammable, while the broadleaves did not suffer any damage.”