Hundreds of firefighters are extinguishing a massive out-of-control forest fire on the edge of the Greek capital
A massive wildfire is raging out of control on the northern outskirts of Athens, Greece’s capital, forcing the evacuation of several suburban areas. The fire, fueled by strong, swirling winds, has hindered the efforts of hundreds of firefighters and dozens of water-dropping aircraft.
Faced with the rapidly spreading flames, which have soared as high as 80 feet, Greece has called for international assistance, activating the European Union’s Civil Protection Mechanism.
The fire began on Sunday afternoon and has already destroyed several homes, casting a blanket of smoke and ash over central Athens, where the acrid smell of burning is pervasive. Power outages have been reported in some parts of the capital, affecting traffic lights at major intersections.
French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin announced that France would send a helicopter, 180 civil security personnel, and 55 fire engines. Greece’s Civil Protection Agency confirmed that Italy had dispatched two water-dropping planes, and the Czech Republic had sent 75 firefighters and 25 vehicles. Spain and Turkey are also finalizing their reinforcements to assist Greece.
The wildfire is sweeping through parched pine forests, which have been severely dried out by this summer’s relentless heatwaves. June and July of this year were the hottest months on record in Greece, which also experienced its warmest winter ever. Greece’s Minister for Civil Protection and Climate Crisis, Vassilis Kikilias, described the situation on Monday morning as “an extremely dangerous fire that we have been battling for more than 20 hours under dramatic circumstances.” The fire is primarily concentrated on two separate fronts, with some areas in particularly hard-to-reach mountainous regions northeast of Athens, according to Kikilias.
Evacuations have already taken place at a children’s hospital, a military hospital, two monasteries, and a daycare center. Another hospital is scheduled to be evacuated by Monday afternoon. Over two dozen emergency alerts have been sent to mobile phones in the affected areas, urging people to evacuate. Several homes have already been consumed by the flames, although the exact number remains unclear.
“The wind blows in one direction, then changes course. The smoke is suffocating. You can’t see anything. Your eyes sting. You can’t breathe. You can’t even see your house,” said Spyros Gorilas, a resident of the Dioni area, who was hosing down his home in a desperate attempt to save it from the encroaching fire. “Even the water-dropping helicopters—you can’t see them, you can only hear them. There’s nothing else.”
Evacuation orders continued to be issued throughout the day for more suburban areas of Athens as the strong winds persisted. Fire Department spokesman Colonel Vassileios Vathrakogiannis reported that authorities had dealt with over 40 flare-ups since early Monday morning in areas where the fire had previously subsided.
The fire department stated that 685 firefighters, supported by 27 specialized forest fire units and over 80 armed forces personnel, were battling the blaze. More than 190 vehicles had been deployed, with aerial support from 17 water-dropping planes and 16 helicopters. Three hospitals in Athens were placed on high alert, while medical personnel and ambulances treated two firefighters—one with minor burns and another with breathing difficulties—and 13 civilians with respiratory issues. The Athens Medical Association urged residents in the affected areas to exercise caution, particularly those with chronic illnesses, the elderly, pregnant women, young children, and individuals with respiratory and heart conditions.
The Hellenic Coast Guard redirected all ferries to and from the nearby port of Rafina, which primarily serves the Cyclades and Crete islands, to the port of Lavrion due to the fire. Authorities are providing temporary shelter for evacuees at sports halls and hotels.
The police reported that 380 officers with 77 vehicles, 36 motorcycles, three buses, and four vans assisted in the evacuation efforts, helping more than 250 people out of the fire’s path by mid-morning. The department shared a video on social media showing officers carrying elderly residents out of their homes and into waiting vehicles, set against a night sky turned red by the fire and smoke. The fire department urged residents to comply with evacuation orders, noting that some who refused to leave their homes later became trapped and required rescue, putting firefighters’ lives at risk.
Meteorologists and government officials have warned of an increased risk of wildfires due to weather conditions from Sunday through Thursday, with half of the country placed on red alert for wildfire danger.
Wildfires are a common occurrence in Greece during the hot and dry summer months, but officials say climate change is leading to larger and more frequent fires. In 2018, a massive blaze swept through the coastal town of Mati, east of Athens, trapping residents in their homes and cars as they tried to flee. Over 100 people were killed, including some who drowned while attempting to swim away from the flames. Last year, wildfires in Greece claimed more than 20 lives, including 18 migrants who were caught in the flames while walking through a forest in northeastern Greece during a blaze that lasted more than two weeks.
