Greece is grappling with five significant wildfires that have erupted across its territory, leading officials to evacuate residents from severely affected areas situated just 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) north of Athens. The smell of smoke is reaching as far as central Athens, prompting the country to seek help from the European Union to combat the advancing flames. The crisis unfolds during a severe heatwave, with temperatures predicted to soar to 44 degrees Celsius on Sunday, and the extreme heat expected to continue throughout the weekend.
Greece’s Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister, Giannis Kefalogiannis, expressed the dire situation, stating, “We have injured firefighters, human lives were put at risk, properties have been burned, and forest areas have been destroyed.” High winds and soaring temperatures have exacerbated the blaze, leading Greece to officially request six additional firefighting aircraft from the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.
In the region of Attica, where Athens is located, a fire ignited in Afidnes on Saturday and has rapidly progressed through Drosopigi, Kryoneri, and Agios Stefanos, prompting the evacuation of local residents. The fire service has reported that while the main front is now contained, scattered hotspots continue to pose a threat. More than 200 firefighters, along with helicopters and water-bombing aircraft, are actively working to manage the situation.
On the island of Evia, a second fire near Pissona has spiraled "out of control", making quick progress toward Afrati and affecting several villages that have been left without electricity due to the destruction of pylons and power lines. So far, six firefighters have been hospitalized due to severe burns and smoke inhalation, as 115 personnel continue to battle the inferno. Dirfyon-Messapion Mayor Giorgos Psathas remarked, “The destruction is incalculable.”
In Kythira, another wildfire is devastating much of the island, with residents lamenting “total destruction.” Several settlements have been evacuated, and local coastguard, aided by private boats, managed to rescue 139 individuals from Limnionas beach, safely transporting them to Kapsali port.
A fourth wildfire erupted in the Polithea area of Trifylia in Messinia on Saturday morning and has since intensified. Authorities have issued five emergency alerts through Greece’s 112 system, advising residents to evacuate from various villages. The difficult firefighting conditions caused by strong winds have mobilized 84 firefighters, 30 vehicles, and seven aircraft.
Additionally, a fifth wildfire is raging in the Temenia area of Chania region in Crete, having originated from two separate ignitions and rapidly spreading, resulting in the destruction of at least two homes. Several regions remain at risk, including the Ionian Islands, Western Greece, Peloponnese, Central Greece, Attica, and more.
In a reflection of the previous month’s destruction, fires on the fifth-largest island of Chios obliterated 4,700 hectares (11,600 acres) of land. Earlier in July, a fire on the island of Crete prompted the evacuation of 5,000 tourists, underlining the severity of the ongoing wildfire crisis in Greece.
