Greece Wildfires: 18 Bodies Found In Forest Close To Turkey Border

As many as 18 bodies have been found in a forest near the Greece-Turkey border, prompting an investigation into the origins of the victims and if they had crossed over to Evros illegally.

A firefighter tries to douse the wildfire near Prodromos in Viotia, Greece.

The Greek fire service on Tuesday reported that it has found 18 bodies in a forest in northern Greece that has been engulfed by wildfires over the past four days. Preliminary investigation suggested that the people who lost their lives might have been immigrants, reported British media website BBC. A team of investigators and a coroner are en route to the Dadia forest location to conduct a thorough examination now.

The forest which is located close to the Turkish border in the Evros region of northeastern Greece has been severely affected by the wildfires. The Evros region is a prominent passage for Syrian and Asian migrants who make their way into the European Union by crossing the River Evros from Turkey, the report stated.

Spokesperson for the fire service Yiannis Artopoios said that an investigation has been launched to confirm if the 18 victims discovered on Tuesday had entered Greece unlawfully. Since there has been no report of missing local residents, there is a high possibility that these people were illegal immigrants, Artopoios said.

As the fires approached Evros capital Alexandroupolis, urgent measures were taken to evacuate patients from a local hospital. The flames covered the grounds of the city's university hospital, resulting in the evacuation of vulnerable patients, including newborns and those in intensive care, reported BBC. These evacuees were transferred to a ferry docked at the city's port.

A prior fatality, believed to be that of an immigrant, had been reported in a village close to Alexandroupolis. To ensure safety, emergency services dispatched text messages to nearby regions, urging residents to evacuate.

Dadia National Park, an extensive wooded area north of Alexandroupolis, has been rapidly consumed by fires since Monday.

New Fires Reported In Spain, Italy

Two new fires were reported in Greece near the capital, Athens. In addition to these, firefighters were confronted with blazes in Spain, Italy, and Portugal. Several parts of Europe are grappling with scorching, arid, and windy conditions that scientific experts have attributed to climate change.

In Spain, authorities are grappling to bring stability to an extensive wildfire that had been relentlessly sweeping through forests on Tenerife Island for a week. A majority of Spain's territories are under extreme risk of wildfires due to the fourth heatwave of the summer, 

According to forecasts, temperatures are poised to surge and surpass 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in the southwest and northeast areas of the Iberian peninsula, as indicated by the national meteorological agency of Spain, State Meteorological Agency or Agencia Estatal de Meteorología (AEMET).