Blaze almost surrounds UK crew fighting fires in Greece

BRITISH firefighters came close to being encircled as they battled wildfires in Greece on Monday, enduring temperatures of 40C (104F) and searing winds.

A specialist team of 21 firefighters assembled from throughout the UK is using axes and chainsaws to create firebreaks in mountainous forest around the town of Ilia on the Peloponnese peninsula in southern Greece.

On their backs they carry water tanks capable of holding up to 30 litres, connected to hand-pumped hoses with which they can fight spot fires.

The team was scrambled together from the fire services of London, the West Midlands, Lancashire, South Wales and Merseyside and flew to Greece on Sunday.

On Monday, the first day of their deployment, some of the team were in danger of being surrounded by flames.

“We had large fires in front of us and fires a little way behind us. The fires nearly surrounded us so we had to retreat, but we’re trained for these situations,” said Tony Brown, the commander of the British team. The firefighters, who are being backed up by Unimog fire trucks operated by the Greek civil protection organisation, are trying to prevent fires in mountainous forest from threatening nearby towns and villages.

“The concern is that if the fire takes hold properly, it will travel down the mountain,” said Mr Brown.

“It’s hard work, hard graft. It’s about 40C so very, very hot. The ground is uneven and there’s quite a bit of wind. We’re rotating the teams, keeping some in the shade where they can rest and drink water while the others work.”

To the north, on the island of Evia, nearly 900 firefighters fought to stop a blaze from menacing the town of Istiaia as wildfires burned for an eighth day.

Firefighters backed by volunteers were engaged in “hand-to-hand combat, fighting heart and soul” to erect fire breaks outside villages neighbouring Istiaia, said Yiannis Kontzias, the town’s mayor. Dozens of homes have been destroyed and thousands of hectares burnt on Evia – Greece’s second-largest island after Crete.

Some islanders refused to leave their homes as the country’s prime minister apologised for shortcomings in the government’s response to the wildfires.

Many locals have bitterly complained that not enough firefighters, vehicles, planes and helicopters were deployed.

Authorities ordered the evacuation of the village of Aygaria but many residents said they were determined to remain in order to protect their homes.