The forest fire that started in Kato Posidonia, in the municipality of Lavrio in southeast Attica, was tackled in just 30 minutes, before it had a chance to threaten lives and property, Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Vasilis Kikilias said in a statement on Sunday.
Without such a swift response, he added, it could have had “devastating consequences”.
“The fire in Lavrio broke out in an expanse of forest, next to summer camps, houses and a beach full of beach-goers. If it had not been tackled so swiftly and promptly it could have had devastating consequences. The evacuations were carried out immediately and with safety. In 30 minutes our firefighters, the civil protection forces and the six aircraft managed to successfully deal with it, before it threatened lives and property,” the minister said.
According to the latest update by the fire department on Sunday, the fire that started at 16:42 in the afternoon no longer had an active front.
The fire department initially deployed 62 firefighters with four teams on foot and 18 vehicles, with two firefighting airplanes and four helicopters assisting from the air. It then sent additional reinforcements, increasing the number of firefighters battling the blaze to 90, with five teams on foot and 24 vehicles, as well as two firefighting airplanes and six helicopters and a fire brigade boat that was also heading to the area.
People in the vicinity of the fire were initially sent a message to be on alert and then, in a new message from the 112 emergency number, they were instructed to evacuate in the direction of Anavyssos.
Police close roads in Lavrio area due to fire
Emergency traffic measures were taken in the Lavrio area on Sunday afternoon, due to the fire in Kato Posidonia. The police announced that Sounio Avenue has been closed to vehicles, from Akti Andrea Papandreou road in the lanes heading toward Sounio, and on the Athens-Sounio Avenue, from the Temple of Poseidon in Sounion, in the lanes heading toward Lavrio.
