One of my favorite pastimes is to photograph the countryside forests and greenery near the city in the phase of regeneration following a large blaze Few things are more beautiful in this life than the image of a cluster of small pines emerging where only a few months ago ash and burnt trees remained Millions of such new or much older pines aged 10 or 15 years were swept away in the most recent megafire that burned from Varnavas to Mount Penteli destroying large areas of woodland circling the Attica Basin Grammatiko and Marathon had managed to recover after the great fire of 2009 which unfortunately had also extended toward Penteli But if it was only the agricultural and forested areas of the plain of Marathon and even further north that were charred for the umpteenth time – this once idyllic landscape with its hills poplars and olives that reached Lake Marathon The disaster in Penteli is once again unprecedented in addition to people’s houses and property threatened the regenerated – after the fire of 1981 – forest that provided oxygen to Drosia Nea Erythraia and so many other municipalities and settlements The devastation was also incalculable in large sections of previously unburnt forest in Nea and Palaia Penteli where the flames leapt through gardens and yards wreaking havoc in urban parts of Vrilissia No matter how experienced we are with fires in Attica the disaster that knocked on our door this year seems unprecedented the scale of a truly environmental Armageddon that will take years to recover from (if it ever does) but most of all the fact that the blaze stormed into the urban fabric of Athens where we should Attica is counting unbearable losses: in 2021 the big fires in Varybobi last year in Fyli and western Parnitha and Anavyssos; and this year the two-day conflagration that started in Varnavas and which unfortunately affected a nightmarishly large area of hundreds of square kilometers Based on the theories of Swiss-born psychiatrist Elisabeth Kubler-Ross who spoke about the five stages of grief (denial already many of our fellow citizens are between the first two stages judging by their emotionally charged posts on social media Some less emotional citizens upload photos of their carefree vacations but for many of us this loss is added to others For those of us who lived and grew up in and enjoyed Attica (one of the most environmentally gifted regions of the country) there is an obvious “end of an era” feeling here its endless countryside and its pine trees is a canvas of memories and images that is dimming The day after the disaster must surely be a day of fighting for the sake of future generations but let us be under no illusions: We were lucky to be briefly part of an earthly paradise that was generously given to us and now we see it disappearing before our eyes Enter your information below to receive our weekly newsletters with the latest insights opinion pieces and current events straight to your inbox While most teens and tweens know how to say ‘please’ and thank-you’ these basic niceties are not enough when it comes to equipping them with the social skills necessary to succeed in life Please call us on 1800 070 535 and we’ll help resolve the issue or try again later Any Questions? Please call 1800 070 535 Saturday & Sunday 7:00am – 11:30am (AEST) Whether you break the bank or opt for bling on a budget Race Day is all about creating the perfect look Come in first this Winter Racing Carnival season with style advice from Townsville’s fashion leaders The situation with the fires in northeastern Attica remains difficult as the front is burning uncontrollably with the Fire Brigade giving a titanic battle with the flames the flames are still in Thrakomakedones and Varybombi The air assets started operating very early in the morning The ground forces were pursuing throughout the night the difficult task of limiting the fire until the air assets were available again a 112 alert message was sent for the evacuation of the areas of Agia Skepi The night was a nightmare for the inhabitants of Varybombi and Thrakomakedones as the big fire that has been burning since Thursday See Also: Volunteer firefighter dead according to the information of the Fire Brigade 720 firefighters are operating with 40 groups of ground units 80 firefighters from France and 16 from Israel provide assistance as ground units assistance is provided by the Hellenic Army with infantry units as well as water tankers and heavy equipment from local government Follow en.protothema.gr on Google News and be the first to know all the news See all the latest News from Greece and the World, the moment they happen, at en.protothema.gr