Dozens of firefighters struggled to control a major wildfire raging on the Greek island of Chios for a second day as of Monday, while authorities issued more evacuation orders. The fire department said 190 firefighters were battling the blaze on the eastern Aegean island on Monday. They were backed up by 35 vehicles, five helicopters and two water-dropping planes. Strong winds since Sunday have hampered firefighting efforts. Their main objective is to stop the flames reaching residential areas and regions vital for the production of mastiha, a natural resin harvested from mastic trees. Push alerts have been sent to mobile phones in the area urging people to evacuate a total of 16 villages, settlements and neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Chios town since the blaze broke out on Sunday at noon. The fire department said three separate blazes had broken out in the morning and mid-day Sunday near the town of Chios. Authorities have sent a specialist fire department arson investigation team to the island to look into the causes. The scale of the blaze was deemed to be so serious that the Greek government sent reinforcement firefighters and equipment from other parts of Greece by air and sea. There have been power outages, which have disrupted the daily lives of residents, as well as water supplies and firefighting efforts, according to local media reports. Wildfires are frequent in Greece during its hot, dry summers, but authorities have said climate change has been fuelling bigger and more frequent blazes. In 2018, a massive fire swept through the seaside town of Mati, east of Athens, trapping people in their homes and on roads as they tried to flee. More than 100 people died, including some who drowned trying to swim away from the flames. The Greek government said last month it was deploying a record number of firefighters and nearly doubling its drone fleet this summer to address growing wildfire risks. About 18,000 permanent and seasonal personnel, supported by thousands of volunteers, would be mobilised, according to the civil protection ministry. — Euronews
