Athens: A wildfire ignited Saturday afternoon in a forest area north of Athens, amid heightened fire risk across six Greek regions.
Greece faced a surge in wildfires with at least forty blazes reported across the country, including near Athens, as authorities grappled with extreme fire conditions exacerbated by strong winds and scorching temperatures.
A wildfire erupted in a forest area north of Athens in the afternoon, marking a challenging start to Greece’s wildfire season. Wind speeds exceeding 100 kilometers (62 miles) per hour have fueled the rapid spread of fires, according to fire brigade sources.
Vasilis Vathrakogiannis, spokesperson for the Fire Department, described the prevailing conditions as “difficult and dangerous” during an emergency press briefing. Greece, accustomed to hot summers, is confronting an especially severe wildfire season following its warmest winter and earliest recorded heatwave, with temperatures soaring to 44°C (111°F).
Mount Parnitha, often referred to as “the lungs of Athens,” has been particularly affected, complicating firefighting efforts due to strong winds and the presence of high-voltage pylons in the area.
Firefighting operations have received reinforcements from the regions of Thessaly, Epirus, and Central Macedonia, alongside volunteer firefighters mobilized to combat the blazes.
Smoke from the fires has drifted into central Athens, prompting emergency alerts via the 112 hotline for residents in nearby areas to remain vigilant.
Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Vasilis Kikilias provided updates on the firefighting efforts, noting progress in controlling the fire that started in Katsimidi, Parnitha, although efforts continue due to lingering challenges.
The Fire Danger Forecast Map issued by the Civil Protection Ministry for Sunday indicates a very high risk of fire (category 4) for multiple regions including Attica, the Peloponnese, Crete, the North and South Aegean Regions, and Central Greece.
Another fire was reported approximately 20 kilometers northwest of Athens in the area of Lakka Katsari on Saturday afternoon, while authorities successfully contained a fire in the southeastern town of Keratea after evacuating two villages as a precautionary measure.
Last year, Greece experienced a devastating wildfire season following a severe heatwave, resulting in the loss of 20 lives and extensive damage to nearly 175,000 hectares (432,000 acres) of forest and agricultural land, as reported by the National Observatory of Athens.
