With 673 city fires, 516 relief services and 284 forest fires, of which 35 have occurred in the last 24 hours, the fire department has been called in to intervene, in line with what PS spokesman, Fire Chief Yiannis Artopairos said today. . regular weekly briefing.

Regarding the fire that broke out this morning in the Laia area of ​​East Mani, Mr. Artopios stressed that 42 firefighters are working with three groups of infantry squads, eight vehicles, eight aircraft and two helicopters, and water carriers are providing assistance. local government.

According to the press secretary of the PS, the most serious fire this week occurred in the evening hours of August 10 in a remote area near the village of Lefki in Thassos. Strong ground and air forces from several regions of Greece tried to put it out. Assistance in extinguishing the fire was provided by the forces provided by GRETHA, volunteer firefighters and voluntary civil protection groups, as well as water carriers and project equipment from the region of East Macedonia and Thrace.

In addition, he emphasized that in connection with the fire in Thassos, a 65-year-old local resident was arrested for arson with the intent to set fires that occurred on August 2, 2022 in the Kurvakia location and on August 10, 2022 in the Makri Rachoni Akhladas location “. The detainee was found to have flammable materials and objects. The detainee was transferred to the judicial authorities for further action.

According to the fire brigade, 137 arrests have been made since the beginning of the fire season to date, of which 65 cases were on the fact of arson.

However, in parallel with the extinguishing of forest fires, in the afternoon of August 14, the operational headquarters of P.S. 79 calls were received to pump water and cut down trees due to heavy rain accompanied by strong winds in the wider Volos region.

As of tomorrow, Thursday, as a PS spokesman, a high fire risk is expected in Attica, Boeotia, Evia, Peloponnese, Western Greece, Heraklion, Lassithi, Dodecanese, Cyclades, the islands of the eastern Aegean, Zakynthos, Kefalonia and Ithaca. .

Finally, high temperatures are expected in the country for the next three days, according to an extreme weather bulletin released today by the National Weather Service. It is specified, however, that on Saturday a change in weather is expected from the northwest with thunderstorms and strong winds.