A state of emergency has been declared on the Aegean island of Chios, authorities said on Monday (July 25) after a wildfire raged out of control in the south, burning precious mastic trees and threatening homes in villages.
Dozens of firefighters and aircraft were deployed to fight the blaze which was burning on several fronts on the tourist island. Local volunteers, soldiers and reservists on the island were assisting firefighters in tackling the blaze, while reinforcements were also on their way from other parts of the country.
The fire was burning near the "mastichochoria" - or - "mastic villages", a group of some seven picturesque mastic producing villages, such as Vessa and Mesta.
A volunteer army reservist assisting in the firefighting operation said residents from Mesta, a village famed for its medieval architecture, had left their homes.
Several of the mastic trees in the region, a major source of income for the island of 52,000, were damaged by the fire, just as collection of the mastic resin is to begin in August.
Chios is famous for its production of goods made from mastic resin, which the island exports globally. Chios mastic has been granted protected designation of origin status by the European Union.
Local authorities said heavy winds were making the operation difficult. Locals called it one of the worst fires to hit the island in years.
The smoke from the blaze could be seen from other islands in the Aegean Sea.
Chios is a popular tourist island; the mastic villages are often frequented by tourists.
