The fire that broke out yesterday in the midday hours in a forest area near the settlement of Petries in the municipality of Kymi-Aliveri in Evia is continuing for a second day.

According to the fire brigade, the firefront is located between the settlements of Petries, Krieza, and Alonia and is moving south.

In fact, the residents of Petrias received a message from 112 at 5:30 in the morning with instructions to move away due to the fire towards Agioi Apostoloi and Kalamos.

The fire brigade is battling the flames in difficult places. Since early morning, five aircraft and two helicopters started air drops, while 205 firefighters with 11 forestry teams, 56 vehicles and a number of volunteers are operating on the spot. At the same time, water trucks of the local government and project machinery are assisting.

It is recalled that shortly after 01:20 in the early hours of Tuesday the 112 sounded again, calling the residents located in Klimaki and Liani Ammo to evacuate towards Krieza.

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Civil Protection Minister Vassilis Kikilias is also in the area, with anxiety for residents peaking. The minister was greeted by the commander of the Fire Department, Konstantinos Psarros, who was at the fire from the first moment.

The minister called it “a difficult fire, as it started in a difficult place, in grassland, low vegetation and it went out quickly”. This, he added, “forced them to bring in additional forces, ground and air.” “Throughout the day they were flying over 24-25 aerial, which you will see again at first light,” Kikilias said, noting that EMODE and METPE from Attica and firefighting forces from Evia were also operating at the site.

“Today in Evia we experienced difficult conditions, as there were and are two or three settlements which were threatened in the first and second wave. We made preventive evacuations, evacuations with the help of the police,” Kikilias said.

“The fire got as far as the dry lake and the fields on the first front, broke away there and then you see a second wave. What’s left is being worked on and will be worked on all night,” he noted, saying he was “satisfied” with the response “even in the most difficult conditions.”

“We will stay here until we complete our work and check it,” Kikilias said after thanking the regional governor of Central Greece, the mayor of Kimi-Aliveri, the deputy of ND, K. Karampatsoli, the forestry chief, volunteers and all those who are cooperating to extinguish the fire.

The Regional Governor Fanis Spanos, New Democracy MP Konstantina Karampatsoli and the mayor of Kimi Aliveri Nikos Barakos were at the scene.

However, according to the spokesman of the Fire Department, the main front of the fire is located inside the triangle formed by the settlements of Petries, Krieza and Alonia. The fire approached the village of Koskina, but no damage to houses was reported.

“All Civil Protection forces are fighting a real battle to contain the fire in Evia. We are in the heart of the fire season and the conditions in the next period, according to experts, will be more difficult. Great attention from all of us. Anything new will be followed by the next update,” said Vassilis Vathrakogiannis.