The fire that started Aug. 19 has decimated homes and vast tracts of forest in the Alexandroupolis and Evros region, near the border with Turkey. It was blamed for 20 of last week’s 21 wildfire-related deaths in Greece. Several other people, including the two-member crew of a firefighting plane, have died as a result of wildfires in Greece so far this year. Lawmakers held a minute of silence at the start of a parliamentary debate on the fires and the state response Wednesday morning. Greek authorities further reinforced firefighting forces in the country’s northeast on Thursday, where a massive blaze in its 13th day has flared up once more and prompted authorities to alert area residents to be on standby for possible evacuation. Can wild fires be averted ?
