New Democracy MP for Rethymno and former Minister of Civil Protection Yannis Kefalogiannis spoke to parapolitika.gr about the situation unfolding in Rethymno following the wildfire that broke out on Wednesday, stressing that conditions are extremely difficult, with wind gusts reaching force 11 and 12 on the Beaufort scale.
Read also: Live wildfire updates: Battle with the flames continues in Rethymno as aerial units grounded by winds up to force 10 Beaufort (Images & Video)
Kefalogiannis on the fallen firefighters: “I would like to express my deepest condolences to their families”
“Since yesterday, we have been facing a very difficult situation in southern Rethymno, and specifically in the area of Agios Vasileios. The fire broke out under extremely adverse conditions, with gusts reaching force 11 and 12 on the Beaufort scale, as I have been informed by commanders on the ground, and it tragically resulted in the deaths of two firefighters. I would like to express my deepest condolences to their families and to the entire firefighting community. At this moment, there is still one active front in the Triopetra-Agia Paraskevi area. The remaining flashpoints have been brought under control, but as you can understand, under these conditions and with such intense winds, there is a real risk of reignition,” said Mr. Kefalogiannis.
“Due to the extreme weather conditions, aerial units have been unable to fly since yesterday, and the effort is being carried out entirely by ground forces, who have given everything they have. Reinforcements are continuously arriving, with more than 200 firefighters now deployed on the ground. Initial assessments indicate damage to livestock enclosures and agricultural production, primarily olive groves. There are reports of damage to homes, though these have not yet been confirmed. A full damage assessment will be conducted in the coming days, but the priority right now is to bring the fire front under control and stop its spread, as winds are expected to remain strong over the coming hours and possibly the coming days. It is therefore critical that this is achieved as quickly as possible,” concluded the Rethymno MP.
