Hundreds of people have been evacuated from their homes in Greece, where wildfires continue to cause destruction across Europe. While major ongoing incidents in France and Spain stopped advancing over the weekend, gale-force winds drove flames deeper into the Athens region, creating immediate danger for residents and visitors.
Fires are blazing in western Attica, the region around the capital, threatening villages and an industrial district outside Megara. Violent gusts prevented firefighting aircraft from collecting water from the sea. A yellow alert is in force in West Steria, issued by Greek weather agency HNMA, warning of temperatures up to 37C and potential health risks for vulnerable people.
More evacuation orders as flames advance
Greek authorities ordered three more communities evacuated on Sunday (August 2) as flames advanced through western Attica, threatening villages along the Geraneia mountains and an industrial district outside Megara. Nearly 500 firefighters and 23 aircraft were deployed, but gale-force winds strengthened the fire and made it impossible for some aircraft to descend to the sea for water.
Smoke rose over the mountains as evacuation orders were issued for the communities of Kandili, Agia Skepi and Toutouli. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis was briefed on the operation, with authorities particularly concerned about Porto Germeno, a seaside community on the Gulf of Corinth.
Coastal evacuations and the fire's spread
The fire began on Friday (July 31) near Agios Vasileios before sweeping towards Porto Germeno and into the forested mountains west of Athens. Firefighters evacuated 254 people by sea from Agios Vasileios on Friday and another 12 from Porto Germeno on Saturday – an escape route of last resort in coastal communities where fire and smoke can cut the few roads out.
Wildfire meteorologist Theodore Giannaros estimated on Saturday that the blaze had affected 40 to 50 square kilometres (15 to 19 square miles), though authorities had not issued an official figure. Local farmer Minas Tzortzanis said on Saturday: “A pristine forest, a paradise, was surrendered to the hands of the fire. There are no words to explain what has happened. Destruction. Total destruction.”
France and Spain under pressure
France’s largest wildfire remained contained after 224,000 people were forced to flee in what may have been the largest peacetime evacuation in French history. Active pockets still burned across 420 square kilometres (162 square miles) of devastated forest.
Thousands remained unable to return home, and nearly 3,000 firefighters were deployed against the Gironde megafire and a second blaze in Provence that had stopped advancing but remained uncontained. Fires in France and Spain alone have driven roughly a third of a million people from homes and tourist sites, emptied communities at the height of the European summer and stretched firefighters, aircraft and emergency services across simultaneous disasters.
