Greece Battles Wildfires as Heatwaves Persist
(MENAFN) A series of wildfires broke out across Greece on Saturday, severely taxing firefighting teams as the nation confronts one of the most extreme heatwaves in recent memory.
Reports from Greek media confirm simultaneous fires ignited in several key regions: Evia, Messinia in the Peloponnese, Kythera Island, and northern Greece’s Thessaloniki area. Fire crews face daunting conditions, struggling against fast-moving flames fueled by dangerous weather.
The most severe blaze rages uncontrollably near Pissonas, a village nestled at the base of the Dirfi mountain range northeast of Evia’s capital, Halkida. Authorities activated a 112 emergency alert urging locals to evacuate toward Afrati village.
Dense smoke and shifting winds have trapped multiple fire trucks, some of which have been overtaken by flames. Efforts to combat the fires from the air are hindered by low visibility. Significant damage has also been inflicted on nearby livestock farms.
In Messinia’s Polithea region, a forest fire triggered three emergency alerts, with evacuation orders issued for Kryoneri and Sellas villages. Reports indicate two storage buildings suffered damage in the area.
On Kythera Island, swift-moving fires forced evacuations in the villages of Aroniadika, Pitsinades, and Araioi, which sit in a predominantly rural and wooded landscape.
Meanwhile, in Arethousa, a mountainous district within Thessaloniki’s Volvi municipality, another wildfire erupted in an agroforestry zone, adding to the growing crisis.
These widespread fires coincide with a brutal heatwave sweeping Greece, pushing temperatures above 42 degrees Celsius across many regions. The National Observatory of Athens recorded a scorching peak of 45.8 degrees Celsius in Skala, Messinia, one of the areas hit by the blazes.
The soaring temperatures have dramatically increased wildfire risks nationwide, overwhelming firefighting resources and placing vital infrastructure under extreme strain.
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