Twin wildfires erupted on the Greek island of Salamina on Sunday afternoon, killing two people and forcing the evacuation of roughly 500 residents by sea.
More than 200 firefighters, 50 engines, aircraft, water tankers and coast‑guard vessels were dispatched to keep the blazes from converging on the island’s high‑risk forested slopes.
The first blaze ignited at 14:40 local time near the island’s south coast in the forested residential area of Peristeria, and spread rapidly under strong winds. Fire officials found two bodies at the scene, believed to be a couple.
By Sunday evening the first fire was largely under control and evacuations had been completed, with 500 people cleared from the island by sea. The second fire began some 20 minutes later in the eastern town of Selinia, but was said to have no active front at the time of reporting.
At least ten people suffered burns or smoke inhalation symptoms; five were taken to local hospitals. Fire chief Adonis Georgiades reported that a number of aircraft and 50 fire engines were deployed, assisted by water tankers and construction machinery.
Salamina sits just west of Athens and hosts a population of around 37,000, many elderly. The rapid spread of the twin blazes highlights the broader pattern of Europe’s intense summer wildfires, which also terrorised a Belgian nature reserve and a Croatian coastline the previous week.
