Europe wildfires intensify as Athens evacuates amid gale-force winds
Gale-force winds drove Greek wildfires deeper into the Athens region, triggering fresh evacuations. The wider crisis underlined how extreme heat and dryness are pushing Europe's fire risk ever higher.
Wildfires continued to test parts of Europe on Sunday, with Greece facing the most immediate danger as gale-force winds pushed flames deeper into the Athens region and forced fresh evacuations. In France, authorities worked to stop two large fires from spreading again, while in Spain the country's major fires were no longer advancing.
The crisis comes after Europe entered 2026 following its worst wildfire year on record, with more than 10,000 square kilometres burned. The European Commission's Joint Research Centre has estimated annual economic losses from wildfires at about 2 billion euros, while the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service says Europe has warmed at more than twice the global average since the 1980s.
In Greece, flames spread through western Attica, threatening villages and an industrial area outside Megara as strong winds hampered firefighting efforts. Nearly 500 firefighters and 23 aircraft were deployed, but the winds pushed the fire through dry forest and prevented some aircraft from descending to the sea to collect water.
Evacuation orders were issued for Kandili, Agia Skepi and Toutouli, while authorities were especially concerned about Porto Germeno on the Gulf of Corinth. Elsewhere, flames came dangerously close to homes on Kefalonia, prompting evacuations from inland villages as aircraft dropped water over the island. On the mainland, nearly 50 firefighters, a specialist wildfire unit, 16 engines and a helicopter battled another blaze near Nea Tenedos in Halkidiki.
The fire began on Friday 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. Wildfire meteorologist Theodore Giannaros estimated on Saturday that the blaze had affected 40 to 50 square kilometres, though authorities had not issued an official figure.
Earlier this week, two firefighters died battling a blaze on Crete, while a third was killed in a separate fire in the Peloponnese. 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." The latest danger also revived memories of the 2018 wildfire in Mati, east of Athens, where 104 people were killed in Europe's deadliest wildfire this century.
In France, the largest wildfire in the country remained contained but was still burning after scorching 420 square kilometres of forest in 10 days in Gironde. The blaze had forced 224,000 people to flee, in what may have been the biggest civilian evacuation outside wartime. Active pockets were still burning, thousands were still unable to return home, and nearly 3,000 firefighters were deployed against the Gironde fire and a second blaze in Provence.
The Gironde prefecture said on Sunday, "The fire is now fixed, which does not mean that the fire is extinguished," using the French firefighting term for a blaze whose advance has been stopped and whose perimeter has been contained. The region remained under France's highest red forest-fire alert as dry weather, high temperatures around Bordeaux and afternoon winds kept the risk of new flare-ups alive.
In Le Porge, one of the worst-hit communities, local officials said about 150 homes were destroyed. Mechanic Matthieu Plessis returned on Saturday to the ruins of a home that had been in his family for seven generations. "There are places I don't even recognize anymore," he said. "You don't even know what was here anymore, or who lived where." Additional firefighters from Ukraine, Lithuania and French Polynesia were expected on Sunday and Monday.
Farther away in the southeastern Var department, nearly 1,500 firefighters were fighting another blaze that spread across about 18 square kilometres in little more than a day. Authorities said the fire in the Gros Bessillon hills was stabilised on Sunday morning, meaning its perimeter had not expanded overnight, but it had not yet been declared contained. Firefighting aircraft supported crews trying to keep flames away from villages in the area, and about 2,500 people were evacuated.
The blaze was the fourth major fire to hit central Var since July 19. Earlier in the week, a smaller fire near Brignoles forced actor George Clooney, his family and about 700 other residents to evacuate before it was brought under control. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said France's wildfires were generally under control but warned that conditions remained highly changeable. He also said a national coordinator attached to the prime minister's office would oversee reconstruction in fire-hit areas. More than 1,170 square kilometres have burned across France since the start of the year.
In Spain, the major fires of a season that has killed at least 13 people, produced the country's largest recorded wildfire and led to a national emergency were no longer advancing on Sunday. In Zamora province near the Portuguese border, more than 20 ground and aerial units remained deployed around the Fermoselle fire to hold its perimeter and guard against flare-ups in the Arribes del Duero area. Most evacuees had returned home, according to local media. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has called for a national pact to tackle wildfires, saying climate change is making them more destructive. Across Greece, France and Spain, the fires continued to stretch emergency services even as the situation varied sharply from one country to another.
With PTI Inputs
Wildfires continued to test parts of Europe on Sunday, with Greece facing the most immediate danger as gale-force winds pushed flames deeper into the Athens region and forced fresh evacuations. In France, authorities worked to stop two large fires from spreading again, while in Spain the country's major fires were no longer advancing.
The crisis comes after Europe entered 2026 following its worst wildfire year on record, with more than 10,000 square kilometres burned. The European Commission's Joint Research Centre has estimated annual economic losses from wildfires at about 2 billion euros, while the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service says Europe has warmed at more than twice the global average since the 1980s.
In Greece, flames spread through western Attica, threatening villages and an industrial area outside Megara as strong winds hampered firefighting efforts. Nearly 500 firefighters and 23 aircraft were deployed, but the winds pushed the fire through dry forest and prevented some aircraft from descending to the sea to collect water.
Evacuation orders were issued for Kandili, Agia Skepi and Toutouli, while authorities were especially concerned about Porto Germeno on the Gulf of Corinth. Elsewhere, flames came dangerously close to homes on Kefalonia, prompting evacuations from inland villages as aircraft dropped water over the island. On the mainland, nearly 50 firefighters, a specialist wildfire unit, 16 engines and a helicopter battled another blaze near Nea Tenedos in Halkidiki.
The fire began on Friday 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. Wildfire meteorologist Theodore Giannaros estimated on Saturday that the blaze had affected 40 to 50 square kilometres, though authorities had not issued an official figure.
Earlier this week, two firefighters died battling a blaze on Crete, while a third was killed in a separate fire in the Peloponnese. 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." The latest danger also revived memories of the 2018 wildfire in Mati, east of Athens, where 104 people were killed in Europe's deadliest wildfire this century.
In France, the largest wildfire in the country remained contained but was still burning after scorching 420 square kilometres of forest in 10 days in Gironde. The blaze had forced 224,000 people to flee, in what may have been the biggest civilian evacuation outside wartime. Active pockets were still burning, thousands were still unable to return home, and nearly 3,000 firefighters were deployed against the Gironde fire and a second blaze in Provence.
The Gironde prefecture said on Sunday, "The fire is now fixed, which does not mean that the fire is extinguished," using the French firefighting term for a blaze whose advance has been stopped and whose perimeter has been contained. The region remained under France's highest red forest-fire alert as dry weather, high temperatures around Bordeaux and afternoon winds kept the risk of new flare-ups alive.
In Le Porge, one of the worst-hit communities, local officials said about 150 homes were destroyed. Mechanic Matthieu Plessis returned on Saturday to the ruins of a home that had been in his family for seven generations. "There are places I don't even recognize anymore," he said. "You don't even know what was here anymore, or who lived where." Additional firefighters from Ukraine, Lithuania and French Polynesia were expected on Sunday and Monday.
Farther away in the southeastern Var department, nearly 1,500 firefighters were fighting another blaze that spread across about 18 square kilometres in little more than a day. Authorities said the fire in the Gros Bessillon hills was stabilised on Sunday morning, meaning its perimeter had not expanded overnight, but it had not yet been declared contained. Firefighting aircraft supported crews trying to keep flames away from villages in the area, and about 2,500 people were evacuated.
The blaze was the fourth major fire to hit central Var since July 19. Earlier in the week, a smaller fire near Brignoles forced actor George Clooney, his family and about 700 other residents to evacuate before it was brought under control. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said France's wildfires were generally under control but warned that conditions remained highly changeable. He also said a national coordinator attached to the prime minister's office would oversee reconstruction in fire-hit areas. More than 1,170 square kilometres have burned across France since the start of the year.
In Spain, the major fires of a season that has killed at least 13 people, produced the country's largest recorded wildfire and led to a national emergency were no longer advancing on Sunday. In Zamora province near the Portuguese border, more than 20 ground and aerial units remained deployed around the Fermoselle fire to hold its perimeter and guard against flare-ups in the Arribes del Duero area. Most evacuees had returned home, according to local media. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has called for a national pact to tackle wildfires, saying climate change is making them more destructive. Across Greece, France and Spain, the fires continued to stretch emergency services even as the situation varied sharply from one country to another.
With PTI Inputs
Wildfires continued to test parts of Europe on Sunday, with Greece facing the most immediate danger as gale-force winds pushed flames deeper into the Athens region and forced fresh evacuations. In France, authorities worked to stop two large fires from spreading again, while in Spain the country's major fires were no longer advancing.
The crisis comes after Europe entered 2026 following its worst wildfire year on record, with more than 10,000 square kilometres burned. The European Commission's Joint Research Centre has estimated annual economic losses from wildfires at about 2 billion euros, while the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service says Europe has warmed at more than twice the global average since the 1980s.
In Greece, flames spread through western Attica, threatening villages and an industrial area outside Megara as strong winds hampered firefighting efforts. Nearly 500 firefighters and 23 aircraft were deployed, but the winds pushed the fire through dry forest and prevented some aircraft from descending to the sea to collect water.
Evacuation orders were issued for Kandili, Agia Skepi and Toutouli, while authorities were especially concerned about Porto Germeno on the Gulf of Corinth. Elsewhere, flames came dangerously close to homes on Kefalonia, prompting evacuations from inland villages as aircraft dropped water over the island. On the mainland, nearly 50 firefighters, a specialist wildfire unit, 16 engines and a helicopter battled another blaze near Nea Tenedos in Halkidiki.
The fire began on Friday 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. Wildfire meteorologist Theodore Giannaros estimated on Saturday that the blaze had affected 40 to 50 square kilometres, though authorities had not issued an official figure.
Earlier this week, two firefighters died battling a blaze on Crete, while a third was killed in a separate fire in the Peloponnese. 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." The latest danger also revived memories of the 2018 wildfire in Mati, east of Athens, where 104 people were killed in Europe's deadliest wildfire this century.
In France, the largest wildfire in the country remained contained but was still burning after scorching 420 square kilometres of forest in 10 days in Gironde. The blaze had forced 224,000 people to flee, in what may have been the biggest civilian evacuation outside wartime. Active pockets were still burning, thousands were still unable to return home, and nearly 3,000 firefighters were deployed against the Gironde fire and a second blaze in Provence.
The Gironde prefecture said on Sunday, "The fire is now fixed, which does not mean that the fire is extinguished," using the French firefighting term for a blaze whose advance has been stopped and whose perimeter has been contained. The region remained under France's highest red forest-fire alert as dry weather, high temperatures around Bordeaux and afternoon winds kept the risk of new flare-ups alive.
In Le Porge, one of the worst-hit communities, local officials said about 150 homes were destroyed. Mechanic Matthieu Plessis returned on Saturday to the ruins of a home that had been in his family for seven generations. "There are places I don't even recognize anymore," he said. "You don't even know what was here anymore, or who lived where." Additional firefighters from Ukraine, Lithuania and French Polynesia were expected on Sunday and Monday.
Farther away in the southeastern Var department, nearly 1,500 firefighters were fighting another blaze that spread across about 18 square kilometres in little more than a day. Authorities said the fire in the Gros Bessillon hills was stabilised on Sunday morning, meaning its perimeter had not expanded overnight, but it had not yet been declared contained. Firefighting aircraft supported crews trying to keep flames away from villages in the area, and about 2,500 people were evacuated.
The blaze was the fourth major fire to hit central Var since July 19. Earlier in the week, a smaller fire near Brignoles forced actor George Clooney, his family and about 700 other residents to evacuate before it was brought under control. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said France's wildfires were generally under control but warned that conditions remained highly changeable. He also said a national coordinator attached to the prime minister's office would oversee reconstruction in fire-hit areas. More than 1,170 square kilometres have burned across France since the start of the year.
In Spain, the major fires of a season that has killed at least 13 people, produced the country's largest recorded wildfire and led to a national emergency were no longer advancing on Sunday. In Zamora province near the Portuguese border, more than 20 ground and aerial units remained deployed around the Fermoselle fire to hold its perimeter and guard against flare-ups in the Arribes del Duero area. Most evacuees had returned home, according to local media. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has called for a national pact to tackle wildfires, saying climate change is making them more destructive. Across Greece, France and Spain, the fires continued to stretch emergency services even as the situation varied sharply from one country to another.
With PTI Inputs
