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Pyromaniacs cast an eye on the few forested areas around Athens, which remained unravaged by flames in previous years. Аlmost 100,000 acres of forest in Varnavas and hundreds of acres in other areas burned this weekend, causing huge environmental disaster. Forests in Varnavas, Kapandriti, Lavrio and Kalami burned. Many of the fires flamed at the same time and on days of strong winds and warning for threat of fires.
 
More than 80 fires raged over the weekend. Their number exceeded 55 only on Saturday, mostly in the Attica region. Experts study findings from the fire outbreak in Kalami to really understand whether it is a deliberate arson, as local people say. The Athens’s prosecutor Eleni Rayku issued an order to investigate the causes of fires in north-eastern Attica, because they were obviously organized. There were 27 fires around Athens on Saturday.

The fire in the area between VarnaVas and Kapandritu could not be extinguished until Sunday morning despite the efforts of 350 firefighters with 61 vehicles, 122 soldiers, 42 tanks, a large number of volunteers and 4 firefighter planes and 3 helicopters. Northern and eastern suburbs of Athens were covered with gray ash cloud on Sunday, which could not disperse for many hours. The Ministry of Environment announced after the major disaster that all burned areas in north-eastern Attica will be re-planted with trees.

Fortunately, there was no major damage this time. According to initial assessments, two houses in Lavrio, a hut in VarnaVas have burnt, and the fire caused damage to other 2-3 buildings. The fire in Lavrio, which burst out near the building of the marine company Olympic Marine, broke quickly because of the strong winds and reached the village, burning two cars, a house and causing serious damage to the roofs of four houses.

Fires raged in Laconia, Messinia, Salamis, Megara and Astos Kinorias yesterday. The strong winds blew them out and larger areas flamed. The fire in Kandilli broke in the woodland and did not threaten populated area, but firefighters in Salamis had to overcome quickly and effectively the flames to prevent them reach the houses of the village Ambelakiya.  

27-year-old man was charged of throwing his cigarette thus causing the fire in the region of  Gramatiko. 37-year-old man accused in concealing criminal and false testimony was arrested for the same case.