Wildfires ravage the suburbs of Athens and cause a human tragedy.

A tragedy has struck the suburbs of Athens, where voracious wildfires have claimed the life of at least one person, reportedly a woman whose remains were found in a store in Vrilissia, north of the Greek capital. This disaster, which began to unfold last Sunday, has led to the evacuation of thousands of residents, while the flames threaten homes, businesses, and schools in the area. Authorities have warned that the situation is expected to remain critical, with the risk of new fires spreading across the region. The spokesperson for the fire service, Colonel Vassilios Vathrakogiannis, emphasized that although there is not a single active fire front in the northeastern region of Attica, localized fires continue to wreak havoc. So far, flames have been reported at 40 different locations, reaching heights of up to 25 meters. The heroes battling the fire, more than 700 firefighters, have faced this catastrophe with the help of a considerable deployment of resources, including planes and specialized vehicles designed for firefighting. The impact of these fires has been devastating, ravaging nearly 100,000 acres of land, according to reports from the National Observatory of Greece. The extent of the damage is alarming and has led to heartbreaking scenes in the affected communities. Residents, some desperately fighting the flames with buckets of water and branches, have expressed their anger and sadness. Marina Kalogerakou, a 24-year-old woman, reflected the pain of many by saying, "We feel great sadness and rage." However, not all citizens have been able to act with the same fighting spirit. Others, like Pantelis Kyriazis, found themselves trapped in despair. Kyriazis suffered a car accident while trying to flee from the flames. "I couldn't see. I crashed into a pine tree," he said, showing the aftermath of a chaotic moment experienced amid the crisis. The fire has also forced authorities to evacuate hospitals in areas such as Penteli, where the proximity of the flames posed a serious risk to patients. In a turn of events, there were even concerns for the safety of a facility belonging to the National Observatory. The situation has been further complicated by explosions heard in the area, likely caused by fuel tanks and gas cylinders, which have added an additional layer of danger to an already critical situation. In this context, international solidarity has emerged. Several European countries have offered assistance to Greece following the activation of the European Union's civil protection mechanism. Italy has committed two planes, while France and Serbia will each send a helicopter. Additionally, Spain, the Czech Republic, and Romania have decided to send vehicles and personnel to help contain the flames. Aid has also come from Turkey, which is preparing to send planes and helicopters. The tragedy occurs in a context of extreme weather, as Greece has recorded the hottest June and July in its history. This phenomenon, linked to climate change, raises concerns about the future of fire seasons in the country. Temperatures have increased by nearly 1.1 °C since the industrial era, suggesting that events like these could become more frequent if drastic measures are not taken to reduce emissions globally. The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has quickly expressed her support for Greece in this calamity, emphasizing that the European Union is ready to help in the fight against these devastating fires. The international community is watching closely, hoping that aid arrives in time to mitigate the damage and protect those affected. Meanwhile, the reality in the suburbs of Athens is one of anguish and desolation. The devastation brought by wildfires is measured not only in acres of land destroyed but also in the lives affected and the shattered stories of those who have lost everything. This tragic event serves as a grim reminder of the urgent need to address climate change and its consequences in our world.