Dense smoke over Lithi village during a wildfire on Chios island, Greece
© EPADense smoke over Lithi village during a wildfire on Chios island, Greece
Greece has declared a state of emergency after the Aegean island of Chios has been engulfed by a wildfire raging out of control.

Dozens of firefighters and aircraft were deployed to fight the forest fire which broke out early on Monday.

The blaze destroyed olive groves and mastic trees, which are an important source of income for the island, which has a population of about 52,000.

At 30 miles long and 12 miles wide, Chios is a fair size for a Greek Island.

It's a popular holiday destination, positioned between Samos and Lesvos in the north east Aegean.


'It is very serious. Authorities are doing their utmost to deal with it with land and air forces,' said Christiana Kalogirou, governor of the Northern Aegean Prefecture, to which Chios belongs.

Forest fires are common during the summer in Greece, where dry weather and strong winds can quickly fan fires, devastating large areas.

Some 70 people were killed in 2007, during the most serious wildfire outbreak in decades.

The fire destroyed mastic trees in the south of the island, just before the harvesting season for the product, which falls in August.
The huge wildfire that broke out early yesterday
© EPAThe huge wildfire that broke out early yesterday

Chios Mastic, is a tree resin used in the production of items such as liquor to beauty products and a gum that can alleviate peptic ulcers.

The resin has a protected designation of origin status within the European Union.

'Unfortunately, there is almost total destruction in some cases,' a representative of the mastic producers association told a local newspaper, Politis.

A large number of mastic trees were burned at the villages of Mesta, Armolia and Pyrgi
© EPAA large number of mastic trees were burned at the villages of Mesta, Armolia and Pyrgi