Greece Battles Record-Breaking Wildfires Amid Climate Crisis

This year has been Greece's hottest and driest on record, leading to nearly 9,500 forest fires that consumed 44,500 hectares of land. Increased frequency and intensity of wildfires are linked to fossil fuel-driven climate change. Immediate response helped reduce the amount of destroyed land.

Greece has faced one of its most challenging years yet with about 9,500 forest fires recorded, including a significant one near Athens. This has made 2023 the country's hottest and driest year on record, linked to climate change fueled by fossil fuels.

Although the number of wildfires increased by 7.5% from the yearly average of the last two decades, the quick actions of authorities prevented more extensive damage, reducing the destroyed land by 14%. Civil Protection Minister Vassilis Kikilias noted that a third of these fires occurred outside the usual May to October fire season.

The alarming trend places Greece at the forefront of climate challenges as it confronts the aftermath of destructive floods and fires, a situation worsened by global warming. The 11-day wildfire in northeastern Greece alone burnt a region larger than New York City.

(With inputs from agencies.)