Wildfire rages north of Athens, one town evacuated
July 4, 2022, 3:03 pm

Wildfire rages north of Athens, one town evacuated

Wildfires in Greece

The US news reported, citing Reuters, a large wildfire raged out of control north of Athens on Monday (July 4), prompting authorities to order the evacuation of a nearby coastal town as a precaution.

Strong winds fanned the flames in the area of Schimatari, about 50 km (30 miles) outside the capital amid soaring temperatures.

Officials urged residents to leave the town of Dilesi and halted a local train service as more than 100 firefighters, backed by four aircraft and two helicopters, battled the blaze.

Emergency crews were also trying to put out a fire in the area of Achaia, in the southern Peloponnese peninsula, where four villages have been evacuated.

Last year, wildfires ravaged about 300,000 acres of forest and bushland as Greece suffered its worst heatwave in 30 years, the report said.

Firefighters try to put out a fire in Afidnes, some 30 kilometers away from the Greek capital of Athens, on Aug. 6, 2021. Greek authorities said that three people have been arrested for suspected arson, as devastating wildfires continue to scorch thousands of hectares of forest land across the country. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos)

Following sharp criticism of its response, the government promised to boost firefighting capacities.

Several dozen Romanian and Bulgarian firefighters took up their posts in Greece on Saturday, the first members of a European force being deployed to provide backup in case of major wildfires during the summer.

Tens of thousands evacuated as wildfires spread through Colorado

In Greece's worst wildfire disaster, 102 people were killed when a blaze tore through the seaside town of Mati and nearby areas close to Athens during the summer of 2018.

Source: usnews

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”