A significant wildfire has erupted south of Athens, prompting authorities to issue urgent phone alerts urging the evacuation of five communities close to the blaze. This comes as temperatures in Greece soared to nearly 40C during the country’s initial heatwave of the summer.
Approximately two dozen water-dropping aircraft and helicopters are assisting 130 firefighters in combating the fire in the Palaia Fokaia coastal region south of Athens, according to the fire department.
The fire, which reportedly originated in a populated area, is being fueled by strong winds, resulting in extensive smoke plumes across the sky. Television footage has shown at least one house on fire.
Local Mayor Dimitris Loukas stated on Greece’s state-run ERT television that several houses are believed to have been damaged by the blaze, but clarified that precise details regarding property damage are not yet available.
The coastguard reported that two patrol boats and nine private vessels are on standby in the Palaia Fokaia area in the event a sea evacuation becomes necessary. A lifeboat is also en route.
“We’re advising residents to evacuate their homes,” said local town councillor Apostolos Papadakis on ERT.
Sections of the coastal road linking Athens to Sounion, which is home to the ancient Temple of Poseidon and a popular tourist destination, have been closed. People are being advised to use alternative routes to evacuate the area.
Fire department spokesman Vassilis Vathrakogiannis announced that 40 individuals have been evacuated by police and that evacuation orders have been issued for a total of five areas.
The cause of the fire is currently unknown, but the fire department spokesman confirmed that an arson investigation unit has been dispatched to the location.
The entire greater Athens area, along with several Aegean islands, is under level four (high risk) on a five-level scale for wildfire danger due to the prevailing weather conditions. The heatwave is expected to continue through the weekend.
Earlier this week, hundreds of firefighters spent four days bringing a major wildfire on the eastern Aegean island of Chios under control. Over a dozen evacuation orders were issued for Chios, where the fires destroyed forests and farmland.
The fire department stated that a woman was arrested on suspicion of contributing to the Chios fire, reportedly by improperly discarding a cigarette.
Wildfires are a common occurrence in Greece during its hot, dry summers. In 2018, a devastating fire swept through the seaside town of Mati, east of Athens, trapping residents in their homes and on roads as they attempted to escape. Over 100 people perished, including some who drowned while trying to swim away from the flames.
