Wildfires burn on Greek island of Chios
- 12 years ago
Wildfires on the Greek island of Chios raged out of control for the third day, sweeping through acres of pristine forest and destroying nearly half of this year's crop of the unique mastic gum trees.
The fire that started early on Saturday (August 18) with gale force winds pushing it on a fiery 25-kilometer path, has laid waste to an estimated 18,000 acres of land.
Mastic resin, which is used to make everything from chewing gum to soaps to liqueur, grows only on Chios.
Some of the villages producing mastic were evacuated and many islanders' livelihoods were at risk, as scores of mastic orchards were destroyed.
Chios produces about 150 tonnes of mastic a year and has annual revenues of about 15 million euros.
The fire that started early on Saturday (August 18) with gale force winds pushing it on a fiery 25-kilometer path, has laid waste to an estimated 18,000 acres of land.
Mastic resin, which is used to make everything from chewing gum to soaps to liqueur, grows only on Chios.
Some of the villages producing mastic were evacuated and many islanders' livelihoods were at risk, as scores of mastic orchards were destroyed.
Chios produces about 150 tonnes of mastic a year and has annual revenues of about 15 million euros.