Bulgarian Teams Help Taming Greece's Holy Mountain Blaze

The fire that erupted 4 days ago in the heart of the Holy Mountain in Greece has been extinguished. Photo by BGNES

The huge wildfire in Aton, Greece, threatening the historical monasteries has been extinguished after overnight torrential rains, the authorities report Sunday morning.

Experts in helicopters and firefighters on foot are expecting the area for possible outbreaks. If they decide that the fire is tamed in full, the Bulgarian team is going to return home in the late afternoon.

Two teams of 10 Bulgarian firemen each from the southwestern city of Blagoevgrad and the town of Bansko were sent late Saturday to the Holy Mountain to protect the monasteries and assist the monks, in particular the Bulgarian Zograph monastery.

They left on two specially equipped modern vehicles and were included in the effort around 7 pm Saturday. The Bulgarian group comprised 18 forest rangers as well.

Serbia also dispatched 49 firefighters.

The entire effort included 14 tank aircraft, 2 helicopters, 300 soldiers, scores of firemen, 40 trucks and tank trucks.

The fire erupted in the hearth of the Holy Mountain, threatening its 20 historical Christian Orthodox monasteries, on Wednesday, August 8.

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