Greek Island Wildfires Kill Two And Force Hundreds To Evacuate

Two people have died and hundreds of residents and visitors were evacuated after two wildfires broke out almost simultaneously on the Greek island of Salamina, near Athens, on Sunday.

Around 200 firefighters were deployed to prevent the two fires from joining together and creating a much larger blaze, as strong winds made firefighting efforts more difficult.

The first fire was reported at about 14:40 local time (11:40 GMT) near the island’s southern coast. It spread quickly through the area, with another fire breaking out around 20 minutes later in the eastern part of Salamina. Authorities have not yet established what caused either blaze.

The first fire began in a forested residential area in Peristeria, in the southern part of the island. Fire official Vasilios Vathrakoyannis said firefighters responding to the incident discovered two bodies at the scene.

The local mayor told Greek media that the victims were believed to have been a couple.

By Sunday evening, one of the fires had been brought under control and evacuation operations had been completed, according to Greek media reports. About 500 people were evacuated from the island by sea as authorities worked to keep the flames from spreading.

The second fire, which started in the eastern town of Selinia, was later reported to have “no active front”, although firefighters continued monitoring scattered areas of fire.

Authorities kept two coast guard vessels and a fire department vessel in the area to provide surveillance and emergency assistance.

At least 10 other people suffered burns or experienced “symptoms of smoke inhalation”, according to Greek Health Minister Adonis Georgiades. Five of those affected were taken to local medical facilities for treatment.

Firefighting operations involved 50 fire engines, water tankers, construction machinery and several aircraft. The scale of the deployment reflected concerns that strong winds could push the flames across the island and cause the two separate fires to merge.

Salamina Deputy Mayor Thodoris Zannis said earlier that firefighters were working to prevent the fires from crossing a mountain on the island and joining together to form a single, potentially more dangerous blaze.

Several patrol boats and private vessels were also sent to the area to assist with evacuation and emergency operations.

Salamina is located just west of Athens and has a population of around 37,000 people, many of whom are elderly, making evacuation and emergency response particularly important during a major wildfire.

The fires on Salamina were part of a wider series of wildfires affecting parts of Europe over the weekend.

In Belgium, firefighters were battling a wildfire for a third consecutive day in Hautes Fagnes, the country’s largest nature reserve. The fire has been described as the largest in Belgium’s recent history and reportedly more than doubled in size within 24 hours.

Croatia’s coastline was also affected by a major wildfire that killed at least one person and injured dozens of others. Around 1,200 residents and tourists were evacuated, with Croatia’s fire chief, Slavko Tucakovic, describing it as “one of the worst” fires in the country’s history.

The latest fires come amid growing concerns over extreme heat and wildfire conditions across Europe. The EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service has reported that western Europe experienced its hottest June-to-July period on record, adding to concerns about the increasingly difficult conditions faced by firefighters during the summer wildfire season.