Kefalonia: fire in Pastra with four aircraft

A forest fire in the Pastra area of Kefalonia mobilised strong Fire Service forces on the afternoon of Monday, August 17. According to the Fire Service’s announcement, reproduced by TA NEA and in.gr, the Operations Centre was notified of the incident at around 18:15. 26 firefighters were mobilised at the scene, assisted by two ground crews from the 16th Special Forest Firefighting Force and four fire engines. From the air, two planes and two helicopters operated. Water tankers from local authorities also assisted in the firefighting effort. The Corfu Arson Crimes Investigation Unit, which covers the Ionian Islands operationally, was mobilised to investigate the causes.

Ground crews from the Special Forest Firefighting Units are typically deployed to forest fires where terrain does not allow vehicle access. Their task is to create firebreaks and tackle the fire front from points water tankers cannot reach. Aircraft, for their part, only operate during daylight hours, which makes the duration of the operation critical: when a fire breaks out early in the afternoon, as in this case, the window for aerial support before sunset is limited. Coordination of ground and air assets is handled by the operation’s commander, who sets the order of water drops so as not to endanger the ground crews.

Kefalonia, the largest of the Ionian islands, has extensive forest cover dominated by the Kefalonian fir, an endemic species that covers the Mount Ainos massif and is protected within the National Park. Forest fires on the island have historically had a high cost of recovery, since fir regeneration is slow compared with Mediterranean pines. At the same time, in August the island’s population multiplies and many settlements are in direct contact with forested areas, making every outbreak a potential threat to homes. The island also has extensive farming activity with olive groves and vineyards, which take many years to become productive again after a fire.

By Monday evening it had not been announced that the fire was under control, nor had an estimate of the burned area been released. No activation of the 112 alert system for preventive evacuation of residents was reported, nor were there injuries or damage to homes. The causes remain unknown and will emerge from the investigation by the arson unit, which is examining both possible negligence and possible arson. The same day was a heavy one nationally, with the Fire Service recording dozens of rural and forest fires within twenty-four hours. More on fires on the Fire page. It has not been announced whether crews will remain on site overnight to guard the perimeter, a practice followed in forest fires.