Greece fire rages, Turkey joins the fight

[kaya'08]

Turkey sent Monday a water bombing aircraft to Greece, which is battling wildfires near Athens that are sweeping through huge swathes of forest, destroying homes, forcing thousands to flee.

The plane, which is capable of carrying 4.5 tons of water, has taken off from the southern Turkish province of Antalya, an official from the forest management said.

It will depart for Greece after refuelling in the Foça district of the Aegean province of İzmir, the state-run Anatolian Agency quoted Nurettin Doğan as saying.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu also spoke with his Greek counterpart Dora Bakoyannis and offered help to put out the fire threatening the country’s capital, Athens.

Davutoğlu told Bakoyannis that the Turkish government and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan are closely monitoring the disaster and have offered assistance to the Greek government, sources told Anatolian Agency.

Bakoyannis said the Greek government would be pleased if civil protection teams from the two countries could cooperate in battling the fire and that Greece urgently needed fire-fighting planes, sources added.

The massive wildfires broke out Friday and have razed about 58 square miles (37,000 acres or 15,000 hectares) of forest and brush, damaged or destroyed scores of homes and forced thousands to flee outlying areas of the capital.

At least five people were being treated for burns and several dozen had reported breathing problems, but there are no serious injuries, The Associated Press reported, citing Health Ministry officials.

At first light Monday, 17 water bombers and helicopters resumed operations, swooping over flames near populated areas.

Turkey joins fire-fighting efforts in Greece - Hürriyet Daily News and Economic Review

 

[PeteEU]

wow, Greece and Turkey helping each other.. that is surely very rare.

 

[kaya'08]

wow, Greece and Turkey helping each other.. that is surely very rare.

Turkey sent a cargo to Greece to collect 30,000 citizens after an Earthquake once and the Turkish government housed them for a while. They usually help each other out during times of crises, as did the Greeks in 1999 or 1995 when an Earthquake hit Istanbul. The Turkish beef isn't really with Athens (sure, theres some territory dispute), but its with the Greek Cypriot administration mainly.

 

[tlmorg02]

It is a very unfortunate event. It is good to see neighboring states looking out for one another though. Are the firefighters making any progress?

 

[kaya'08]

It is a very unfortunate event. It is good to see neighboring states looking out for one another though. Are the firefighters making any progress?

Apparently the worst of it is over. But who knows? Its hot as heck in the mediterranean this time of year, and if they don't all pull together, and deal with it quick enough, theres nothing stopping it reaching Athens. I don't believe this will be the case, however. Water bombing planes are bombarding the fire and the wind is weaker now, so hopefully it will be over soon enough. Nearby residents have been evacuated, about 10,000 in total i believe, but a lot of people particularly the elderly have stayed behind to defend there homes.

 

[tlmorg02]

Apparently the worst of it is over. But who knows? Its hot as heck in the mediterranean this time of year, and if they don't all pull together, and deal with it quick enough, theres nothing stopping it reaching Athens. I don't believe this will be the case, however. Water bombing planes are bombarding the fire and the wind is weaker now, so hopefully it will be over soon enough. Nearby residents have been evacuated, about 10,000 in total i believe, but a lot of people particularly the elderly have stayed behind to defend there homes.

It reminds me very much of the seemingly, yearly wildfires that ravage California.

 

[kaya'08]

It reminds me very much of the seemingly, yearly wildfires that ravage California.

Oh yeah there was one in Santa Barbara this year, wasn't there?

 

[tlmorg02]

Oh yeah there was one in Santa Barbara this year, wasn't there?

Yes there was, and in California at least once a year it seems.

 

[F107HyperSabr]

Turkey sent a cargo to Greece to collect 30,000 citizens after an Earthquake once and the Turkish government housed them for a while. They usually help each other out during times of crises, as did the Greeks in 1999 or 1995 when an Earthquake hit Istanbul. The Turkish beef isn't really with Athens (sure, theres some territory dispute), but its with the Greek Cypriot administration mainly.

everyone knows that grease fires are hard to put out !!!