Climate change may have played a part in the latest massive wildfire just outside Athens, but some critics blame inadequate equipment and lack of planning for what has become an annual crisis.
The wildfire, which started on Sunday in Varnavas, 35 kilometres (22 miles) from the capital, had by Tuesday killed one woman, caused widespread damage and sent thousands fleeing from their homes.
The blaze even came as close as the suburbs of Athens before firefighters got the upper hand.
“People shouldn’t be burnt alive in 2024,” said Marianna Chatzieleftheriou at a small far-left rally on the crisis outside parliament on Tuesday.
For her the death was a “political crime”, and one she blamed on the conservative government.
“There are not many firefighters… all the equipment is poor. And the actions start at a late stage,” the 27-year-old doctor told AFP.
Fellow protester Marietta Papadopoulou said the water-bombing planes were …