Fireworks from a yacht cause a fire near the island of Hydra
At around 22:45 local time, passengers on a yacht near the St Nicholas coast of the Greek island of Hydra set off fireworks. The passengers' fireworks caused a forest fire on the island.
Fire brigade officials on the island stated that the fire started in a particularly hard-to-reach area of Hydra with no road infrastructure, so access was limited.
While the epicentre of the fire was reported to be far from urban settlements and villages, firefighters approached the area using Coast Guard vessels to fight the fire from the sea. A large number of volunteer firefighters also joined efforts to contain the flames and prevent them from spreading further inland.
The fire was brought under control with the intensive work of the fire brigade, soldiers and volunteers.
The use of fireworks is a popular sight during celebrations in Greece. Despite restrictions on who can use them and how they can be used, many locals and tourists have easy access to fireworks.
