Wildfire Rages Near Athens as Greece Braces for Peak Fire Danger

10:09 27/6/2025 - Πηγή: iEfimerida

A large wildfire has burnt through homes and holiday properties just south of Athens, forcing evacuations and serving as a grim preview as Greek authorities placed much of the country on high alert Friday for what they warn are “explosive” conditions for new fires.

Hundreds of firefighters, supported by more than two dozen aircraft, battled the blaze in the coastal area of Palaia Fokaia, which was fanned by

strong winds amid heatwave temperatures approaching 40°C (104°F).

The fire erupted as the government was mobilizing its entire civil protection mechanism for Friday, which is forecast to be the most dangerous day of the summer so far for wildfires. 

The General Secretariat for Civil Protection has issued a high-risk alert (Category 4 of 5) for many parts of the country, including the greater Athens region of Attica, the island of Evia, the Peloponnese, and numerous Aegean islands.

“We are facing extremely dangerous weather conditions,” said Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Giannis Kefalogiannis.

In response, the government has ordered a ban on public access to all forests, parks, and green spaces in the high-risk regions to prevent accidental ignitions. 

The fire service, armed forces, and police have been placed on emergency standby across the country.

The preventative measures come as firefighting forces are already stretched, having battled a multi-day blaze that devastated parts of the island of Chios earlier in the week and another that broke out in Crete on Thursday. 

Greece, scarred by devastating and often deadly wildfires in recent summers, is scrambling to prevent a repeat as it enters the heart of the fire season under a dangerous combination of extreme heat and high winds.

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Wildfire Rages Near Athens, Greece Braces,Peak Fire Danger