The death toll from Greek wildfires has risen to five after a mid-air collision of firefighting helicopters near Athens. Two pilots were killed in the incident.Greek wildfires have claimed five lives, including two pilots who died in a helicopter collision while battling blazes near Athens.(via REUTERS)Firefighting operation recently turned tragic when helicopters extinguishing Greek wildfires collided mid-air, claiming two lives. Two-man crew of a chopper were killed on Sunday while dousing a wildfire in the Psatha area west of Athens, according to Greek authorities. The deceased pilots of one of the helicopters were a Dane and a Greek while the crew of the second was successfully rescued.Each of the two Bell 214ST firefighting helicopters, which had been leased from Australia's McDermott Aviation, was carrying a two-person crew when the collision occurred. Bell 214ST N511EV (serial 28105, built in 1982) and Bell 214ST N746H (serial 28200, built in 1991) were the two helicopters that met the fatal accident while battling the major forest fire. Authorities grounded all Bell helicopters in the area pending after the incident, state TV ERT reported.Video of the deadly collision has gone viral showing one of the choppers colliding with the underbelly of the other helicopter. The lower helicopter crashed to the ground following the impact while the second remained airborne and continued flying despite apparent damage. The helicopters were a part of a fleet of 15 which supported operations in Greece for the past seven years."The pilots...were taken unconscious to hospital, where their death was confirmed," AP quoted fire department's director of communications Vassilis Vathrakogiannis as saying. According Vathrakogiannis, 220 forest and agricultural fires had broken out around the country since Monday.Prime Minister blames ‘adverse weather conditions’ for the tragic crashThe fire service department had deployed hundreds of firefighters to combat the wildfire who were attempting to limit its spread to west of Athens after it scaled a mountain overnight. Following the incident, Hellenic Republic Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed condolences to the families of the victims. In a post on X, he stated, “I express my deepest sorrow for the tragic accident involving the two leased firefighting helicopters that cost the lives of two frontline fighters in the war against the fires under highly adverse weather conditions—especially for our aerial assets.”He added, “The loss of the Greek coordinator and the Danish pilot while they were operating in the major fire at Porto Germeno fills us all with grief. Sincere condolences to their families.”The death toll from Greek wildfires climbed to five after the recent incident. It follows death of three other firefighters who died in Crete and the Peloponnese. As per the meteorological department, nearly 6,500 hectares (16,000 acres) had been burned in separate fires on the Gulf of Corinth which also swept Porto Germeno. The National Observatory's climate tracker meteo.gr further noted that atmospheric conditions remained adverse "mainly due to strong northerly winds, which, however, have partially weakened compared to previous days".About the AuthorFareha NaazFareha Naaz is a Delhi-based journalist and Content Producer at LiveMint, where she has built nearly three years of experience in digital journalism. She covers a diverse range of topics, including national news, education, entertainment, lifestyle trends science, global health and international news. With a background in Economics and Education, she focuses on providing insightful, thoroughly researched coverage that bridges the gap between breaking news and in-depth analysis. In addition to breaking copies, legal and political news, her reporting blends editorial rigour with search-driven storytelling. With a keen eye-on-global events, she provides insightful coverage on latest developments. Her reporting combines editorial
Spokane, a city in the northwestern United States, witnessed rapidly spreading wildfires that tore through the region on August 2, causing widespread destruction, as officials said hundreds of structures were burned to the ground.What we knowThousands of people were asked to evacuate their homes on August 1 and overnight into August 2 after three separate wildfires broke out in and around the city in eastern Washington state, AFP reported.According to reports, roughly 600 homes, businesses and other buildings were destroyed by fast-moving wildfires that were driven by strong winds and rising temperatures. Further, the National Weather Service (NWS) had warned of "extremely critical fire weather conditions" in the area because of strong winds and exceptional dryness.Quick answers to key questions•5 QUESTIONSThe wildfires in Spokane were primarily fueled by strong winds and exceptionally dry conditions, exacerbated by ongoing drought and climate change.Wildfires in Spokane have destroyed approximately 600 homes, businesses, and other structures, causing widespread devastation.Evacuation orders were issued for Spokane residents due to rapidly spreading wildfires that posed life-threatening conditions and threatened homes and infrastructure.Emergency shelters have been established at the Spokane Convention Center and local fairgrounds to assist evacuees, providing temporary accommodation and support.As of the latest reports, the wildfires in Spokane remained at zero percent containment, highlighting the challenging conditions for firefighting efforts.Footage from Sunday showed the aftermath of the wildfires, with dozens of homes reduced to ashes, leaving only brick fireplaces and foundations standing, while several neighbouring houses remained largely untouched.However, later on Sunday (August 2), weather conditions improved as winds eased, but the wildfires remained at zero per cent containment, according to officials.The Old Trails fire, the largest of the three wildfires burning in Spokane, crossed the Spokane River on Saturday afternoon and spread into the city limits.According to the government's evacuation map, authorities issued the highest-level evacuation alert for swathes of northern Spokane, affecting thousands of people within the city limits. As authorities set up a fire evacuation shelter at the Spokane Convention Center, the three fires had burned a total of 5,390 acres (2,181 hectares) as of Sunday morning.Spokane Mayor, Washington Governor issue statementsIn a press briefing, Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown called it the "worst natural disaster our region has faced," and added, "Hundreds of homes and structures have been lost. We are still assessing the potential for lives to be lost." She went on to say, "To the people who are suffering right now in our region from either loss or uncertainty... our hearts go out to you. We are here for you for the long term."Washington Governor Bob Ferguson declared a state of emergency, saying the state was experiencing its fourth straight year of drought, with climate change creating conditions that have fuelled destructive wildfires. Speaking at a press conference, Ferguson said he had spoken with federal officials, including US President Donald Trump, to seek additional resources for the response. He added that Trump understood "how dire the situation is."Ferguson further noted, "There are just so many Washingtonians who have literally lost everything in a very, very short period of time." He went on to add, "Just in a matter of hours, their lives changed in deeply dramatic and fundamental ways. And so it's difficult to find words when folks have experienced a loss like that," CBS News reported.Pacific Northwest sees 'extraordinary wildfire season'David Upthegrove, chief of Washington's Department of Natural Resources, noted that the fire in Spokane was "one of 15 major fires burning throughout the state of Washington right now." He said that this is an extraordinary wildfire season
As many as 60,000 people in the Spokane area were evacuated in the wake of deadly wildfires in the eastern Washington state. At least 600 homes, businesses and other structures were reportedly destroyed, authorities said Sunday.The fires in and around Spokane, the state's second largest city, burned about 8.2 square miles (about 21 square kilometers) over the weekend and were among dozens of wildfires across the Western US that stretched the ability of federal, state and local agencies to fight them.A total of about 390 square miles (1,000 square kilometers) has burned across the state, and some of the fires, including those in the Spokane area, have not been contained, the Associated Press reported.Quick answers to key questions•5 QUESTIONSThe Spokane wildfires have affected the Spokane area in eastern Washington, leading to the evacuation of around 60,000 residents and the destruction of at least 600 structures.Evacuation orders were issued in Spokane due to rapidly spreading wildfires driven by strong winds and dry weather, posing life-threatening conditions to residents.The Spokane wildfires have caused significant damage to local infrastructure, leading to power outages for around 10,000 residents and the setup of emergency shelters for evacuees.Authorities in Spokane have established emergency shelters at the convention center and fairgrounds to assist evacuees and those with pets in need of refuge.Yes, residents should remain alert as conditions are still dangerous, and officials have emphasized that the area is not yet out of danger.Fire and law enforcement officials said there had been no reports of injuries or people unaccounted for — but they stressed it was early in the response effort.Officials also said that the evacuees in Spokane included patients at the U.S. Veterans Affairs hospital there.Video from the Spokane area showed buildings on fire, black smoke billowing up near neighborhoods, and the smoking ruins of homes, with only chimneys still standing.Several officials expressed concern that the area does not appear likely to get a break in the coming days from the weather, which is expected to remain dry.“We are not out of danger,” U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell said during a news conference with federal, state and local officials in Spokane. “The next couple of days will be challenging.”Investigators had yet to determine how the blazes started.Grassland in flames in parts of Idaho and OregonSpokane was hardly the only place struggling to contain fires.Crews using bulldozers and helicopters continued for a 10th day to fight a fire that has burned nearly 525 square miles (about 1,360 square kilometers) of grassland in western Idaho and eastern Oregon. The area is home to cattle ranches, and authorities said the fire is threatening more than 600 homes and 800 other structures.The weather in the area was expected to remain sunny — and dry — well into the week, with temperatures rising to more than 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) on Wednesday. Officials say the fire was caused by lightning.Red flag fire warningsThe National Weather Service issued warnings about the air quality in eastern Washington, eastern Oregon, western and central Idaho and western Montana. It issued red flag fire warnings for parts of Utah and Montana and western Nebraska, and extreme heat warnings for the southern parts of Arizona, California and Nevada and northern Montana.High winds make it hard to fight fires in Spokane areaWhile temperatures Sunday in Spokane were forecast to remain below 80 F (27 C), wind gusts from 35 mph (56 kph) to 45 mph (72 kph) had been expected by the afternoon, said Benjamin Cossel, public information officer for the federal response team from California called in Saturday night to deal with the fires.“We have weather working against us, and we have terrain working against us,” Cossel said.There were three fires in the Spokane area: the Old Trails Fire, the Fairview Fire and the Meadowview Fire. Washington
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