Fatal wildfire near Derveni in Thessaloniki

A wildfire that broke out at approximately 14:30 on the afternoon of July 16 in the low vegetation area of Derveni, within the Oreokastro municipality of Thessaloniki, has resulted in one death and one injury. Firefighters discovered the body of an unidentified person within the burnt forest area. A 40-year-old woman, who sustained burns on her hands, thighs, and neck while attempting to extinguish the flames, was transported to Ippokrateio Hospital in stable condition. Emergency services issued two alerts via the 112 emergency system, initially advising readiness and subsequently instructing residents to move toward the local stadium as the fire moved toward the settlement of Liti. Firefighting operations involve 39 personnel, 11 vehicles, one ground unit of the 2nd EMODA, volunteers, two helicopters, and three aircraft. Local authorities are utilizing drone technology for real-time monitoring of the situation, which is exacerbated by strong winds. While some reports suggested the fire approached the edges of the 4,000-resident settlement of Liti, official sources stated that the fire did not directly threaten residential areas at the time of their update.