THE former Environment Minister has said witnessing deadly summer wildfires ravage the suburbs of Athens was a stark reminder of the dangers of climate change.
Deputy Jonathan Renouf saw giant plumes of smoke from the roof of his hotel near the city centre while on holiday and had a bird’s-eye view of the devastation as he and his family flew out of the affected area.
Deputy Renouf was woken by an emergency text message sent by the Greek authorities during the early hours of Monday, as residents of some northern suburbs were urged to leave their homes as the fires closed in on the city.
Thousands have been evacuated from their homes since the fires first started on Sunday, with a woman dying in the town of Vrilissia and firefighters reported to be exhausted by their non-stop efforts. More than 700 firefighters, 199 fire engines and 35 water-bombing aircraft have taken part.
On the last evening of a three-day trip in the Greek capital with his family, Deputy Renouf said the first time he had been aware of the fires was while having a drink at his hotel’s rooftop bar on Sunday.
“The sky went dark, and initially we thought it may have been a dust storm, but then we heard the news that it was fires,” he said. “In a grim way it was quite spectacular to see the sun being blotted out.”
He added: “It wasn’t affecting the city, where we were, but it was quite sobering to know that people within 15 miles of us were being told to evacuate.”
Smoke was still drifting across the route to Athens Airport, to the east of the city, although the airport itself was clear.
The affected area was clearly visible beneath Deputy Renouf’s flight within a few minutes of taking off.
“We saw flames which only looked to be three or four miles from the airport,” he said.
The former TV producer said the experience had served as a further reminder of how the effects of climate change were becoming more evident.
“It’s not any one thing, but the multiplicity of events, and their severity, which is something science tells us is more and more likely to happen,” he said. “It can be easy to dismiss when you’re a long way away, but it’s different when you see it for yourself.
“Jersey may not have experienced a stellar, hot summer but that doesn’t mean we’re protected from the climate emergency – you don’t have to look far.”
