Today’s reports from Athos monks who keep a Facebook account (father Athanasios Karouliotis and Efthymios Volonakis-Vouleftiriotis) and from Vima Orthodoxias (in Greek) tell about the fire that broke this morning, the 7th of September 2021, that started near the harbor in a remote and inaccessible ravine near Mikra Agia Anna. The monks and workers opened a fire zone so that the fire would not pass into the ravine, where there are many cells. After many efforts and with the help of the Fire Brigade, they managed to reduce the fire, despite the strong wind (beaufort 6/7). Airplane and helicopters also helped to extinguish to flames.

Luckily the Holy Mountain was spared this year from serious forest fires, something you unfortunately can’t say about other parts of greece, where the fires have caused great damage and much human suffering, like on Evia.

Wim Voogd, 7/9 (thanks to Vasílis de Grote, who closely follows Facebook reports about Athos)