These Photos Show The Immense Scale Of The Wildfires Ravaging Greece

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    • These Photos Show The Immense Scale Of The Wildfires Ravaging Greece

    Thousands of people, many with injured animals, have been forced to flee the wildfires.

    By Kirsten Chilstromby Kirsten Chilstrom

    BuzzFeed News Photo Editor

    Posted on August 10, 2021, 11:00 pm { "id": 127562364 }

    Hundreds of wildfires in Greece have forced people to evacuate as the nation struggles to regain control over the natural disaster.

    On the Greek island of Evia, which produces many staples, including olives, figs, and honey, wildfires have forced residents and their animals onto ferries and into temporary shelters. “These last few days have been among the hardest for our country in decades,” Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said. “We are dealing with a natural disaster of unprecedented dimensions.” The causes of the blazes have yet to be determined, although they are inextricably linked to human-caused climate change. The planet has already warmed 2.1 degrees since 1880, according to NASA, exacerbating the frequency and scale of natural disasters. Wildfire seasons are becoming more drawn out. And heat waves are becoming hotter, occurring more frequently, and lasting longer.

    These photos show the bravery of people fighting to put out the flames and the hardship of those evacuating, who are carrying with them personal items and animals who've been injured or burned.

    { "id": 127562653 } Passengers board a ferry at night as a fire burns on the horizon Nicolas Economou / Reuters

    People board a ferry as a wildfire burns in the village of Limni on the Greek island of Evia, Aug. 6, 2021.

    { "id": 127562426 } A woman walks off a boat carrying bags full of personal belongings Petros Karadjias / AP

    A passenger disembarks a ferry that accommodated evacuees during a wildfire in the village of Pefki on Evia island.

    { "id": 127562550 } A standing woman holds her dog close to her chest in front of a barbed-wire fence as a fire burns in the background A standing woman holds her dog close to her chest in front of a barbed-wire fence as a fire burns in the background Angelos Tzortzinis / AFP via Getty Images

    A woman holds a dog as a forest fire approaches the village of Pefki, Aug. 8, 2021.

    { "id": 127562369 } Dogs are contained in crates and lying on beach chairs on a rocky shore under a hazy sky Dogs are contained in crates and lying on beach chairs on a rocky shore under a hazy sky Petros Karadjias / AP

    People and pets gather on the beach in Pefki during a wildfire.

    { "id": 127562449 } A charred building is surrounded by rubble after a wildfire ravaged the interior A charred building is surrounded by rubble after a wildfire ravaged the interior Milos Bicanski / Getty Images

    Remains of an 18th-century Orthodox church after a fire in Kokinomilia on Evia island.

    { "id": 127562503 } A woman puts her hand to her forehead and has her head down in sadness as a wildfire gets closer to her property A woman puts her hand to her forehead and has her head down in sadness as a wildfire gets closer to her property Angelos Tzortzinis / AFP via Getty Images

    A woman holds a hand to her forehead during a fire in Asmini village on Evia island.

    { "id": 127562492 } Volunteers stand by a firefighter near massive flames in the background Volunteers stand by a firefighter near massive flames in the background Angelos Tzortzinis / AFP via Getty Images

    A firefighter and volunteers work to extinguish a fire in Glatsona village on Evia island, Aug. 9, 2021.

    { "id": 127562764 } A temporary shelter in a basketball court has cots and temporary beds set up, wall to wall A temporary shelter in a basketball court has cots and temporary beds set up, wall to wall Thodoris Nikolaou / AP

    A temporary shelter for those displaced by the wildfires is set up in a basketball court in Chalkida on Evia island, Aug. 7.

    { "id": 127562644 } A volunteer helps handle six injured turtles, some of which have bandages taped to their shells, placed in individual plastic boxes with water A volunteer helps handle six injured turtles, some of which have bandages taped to their shells, placed in individual plastic boxes with water Louiza Vradi / Reuters

    A volunteer looks after injured turtles at the Hellenic Wildlife Care Association's first aid center in Athens, Aug. 8.

    { "id": 127562694 } A person holds a goose with burnt webbed feet A person holds a goose with burnt webbed feet Louiza Vradi / Reuters

    Maria Ganoti, president of the Hellenic Wildlife Care Association, holds an injured goose.

    { "id": 127562698 } A dog sleeps with its paws wrapped in bandages after suffering an injury from a wildfire A dog sleeps with its paws wrapped in bandages after suffering an injury from a wildfire Louiza Vradi / Reuters

    A dog with burnt paws sleeps at a makeshift shelter following a wildfire north of Athens on Aug. 8.

    { "id": 127562702 } People and their animals stand on a rocky shore before boarding a large boat to evacuate their home island People and their animals stand on a rocky shore before boarding a large boat to evacuate their home island NurPhoto via Getty Images

    Evia island residents and their pets wait to board a ferry.

    { "id": 127562712 } An injured turtle, with their shell wrapped in gauze, eats leafy greens and stands on a newspaper An injured turtle, with their shell wrapped in gauze, eats leafy greens and stands on a newspaper Louiza Vradi / Reuters

    An injured turtle at the Hellenic Wildlife Care Association first aid center in Athens

    { "id": 127562468 } A man standing by burning weeds swings a leafy branch at the ground A man standing by burning weeds swings a leafy branch at the ground Anadolu Agency / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

    A resident tries to extinguish a fire in the village of Pefki on the island of Evia.

    { "id": 127562685 } A man pulls his cow as they attempt to escape the wildfires in the background A man pulls his cow as they attempt to escape the wildfires in the background Giorgos Moutafis / Reuters

    Residents evacuate with their animals as a wildfire rages in the Athens suburb of Thrakomakedones, Aug. 7.

    { "id": 127562584 } People sit in a meadow under a smoky, hazy sky as a fire burns beyond the horizon People sit in a meadow under a smoky, hazy sky as a fire burns beyond the horizon Angelos Tzortzinis / AFP via Getty Images

    Children and volunteers gather in an open field and wait to support firefighters near the village of Kamatriades.

    { "id": 127562560 } People wearing face masks sit in chairs side by side with a big fluffy dog on a vessel People wearing face masks sit in chairs side by side with a big fluffy dog on a vessel Anadolu Agency / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

    Evacuees from north Evia island sit on a ship, Aug. 8.

    { "id": 127562572 } An aerial view of a burnt forest An aerial view of a burnt forest Angelos Tzortzinis / AFP via Getty Images

    Burnt trees in the village of Pefki, Aug. 9

    { "id": 127562776 } A church's wall, decorated with images of saints, is cracked and charred, surrounded by debris, after a wildfire A church's wall, decorated with images of saints, is cracked and charred, surrounded by debris, after a wildfire Thodoris Nikolaou / AP

    Religious murals are scarred by black smoke stains in a destroyed church in the village of Limni, Aug. 7.

    { "id": 127562416 } A sculpture of a Greek god stands beside a Greek flag, both silhouetted against a hazy sky A sculpture of a Greek god stands beside a Greek flag, both silhouetted against a hazy sky Petros Karadjias / AP

    Wildfire smoke obscures a statue of Poseidon on Evia island.

    { "id": 127562783 } People sit inside a ferry as the sun sets People sit inside a ferry as the sun sets Petros Karadjias / AP

    People use a ferry to evacuate Pefki, Aug. 8.

    { "id": 127562364 }



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    Originally posted on: https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/kirstenchilstrom/greece-wildfires-photos-destruction