As the death toll rose to 94 - prime minister Alexis Tsipras, whiplashed by public discontent over its handling of the fires, accepted the resignation of the head of the country’s civil protection agency this morning.

The resignation, which follows the government’s replacement of the heads of the fire and police services last night, has spurred speculation Tsipras will move ahead with a far-reaching reshuffle to boost his two-party coalition’s flagging popularity imminently.

Government sources told the Guardian the makeover will take place well in advance of the leftist leader making his annual economic address in Thessaloniki on September 9th. Tsipras says August 21st will mark the beginning of the end of debt-stricken Greece’s arduous nine-year odyssey on the frontline of Europe’s debt crisis.

“At long last we will reclaim our sovereignty,” he told Greeks claiming “political responsibility” for the fires.

But as the countdown intensifies and the trauma of the fires intensifies, it feels anything but festive among those in office in Athens amid reports this morning that even the finance minister Euclid Tsakalotos may not be around for too much longer....