Friday, June 27

The Greek isle of Chios is currently experiencing severe wildfires, and they have already burned almost 100,000 acres as firefighters struggle to contain the blazes.

Chios is a Greek isle in the eastern Aegean Sea, separated from Turkey by the thin Chios Strait. It is the fifth-largest Greek isle, and is known for its exports of mastic gum, which comes from the mastic tree that is only found in extremely specific areas. Chios is home to around 50,000 people, making it the sixth-most populous Greek island.

Unfortunately, the summer heat has already begun in Greece, which brings long periods of hot, dry conditions with no rain. This often leads to large wildfires, which have become even more prevalent in recent years as climate change exacerbates drought conditions during the summer in Greece.

Currently, various fires are raging across the island, and they have already burned a combined total of over 100,000 acres in under one week. Over 400 firefighters are currently battling the flames, equipped with several water bombers and helicopters.

Also, a Georgian woman living in the area who works as a housekeeper has been arrested for starting one of the five blazes currently destroying the island. She admitted that she had been smoking when she threw a cigarette into the wilderness, which ignited a blaze that quickly grew into a massive wildfire. The woman is now being charged with unintentional arson, and officials suspect that there could be others who accidentally or purposely started the other fires across the island.

Persistent strong winds and a lack of rain have not helped the situation, and thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes. However, firefighters are slowly getting them under control, and crucially, the fires have barely impacted the southern portion of Chios, where the majority of the mastic trees grow-- these mastic trees are one of the main drivers behind the island's economy.

Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): Canadians say 'sorry' so much that a law was passed in 2009 declaring that an apology can’t be used as evidence of admission to guilt.

Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is faced. (James Baldwin)

Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Sumptuous (adj, SUMP-shuh-wus) - Sumptuous is used to describe things that are very expensive, rich, luxurious, or magnificent.

In a Sentence: The celebratory meal was a sumptuous feast of dishes from our host’s homeland.