Greece ’s wildfires have devoured a third of the total forest land in the northeast of Athens, a European Union satellite mapping agency said.
An area of more than 104 sq. kilometers (40 sq. miles) was burned in the Attica region where firefighters continue to battle scattered fires left from the blaze front that killed a woman and saw thousands evacuated.
The whole country is still under high fire alert as temperatures are expected to reach 40C causing more flare-ups. Greece’s prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis came under fire for his handling of the disaster after harrowing pictures revealed the real trail of devastation.
Shocked residents woke up to the aftermath of three days of inferno that left torched buildings, dead woodland and destroyed homes.
The fire began on Sunday afternoon about 35 kilometres (22 miles) northeast of Athens burning several homes and businesses and sending a blanket of smoke and ash over the city centre.
The massive, fast-moving blaze sent flames to heights of over 80ft as Greece sought assistance from other countries, activating Europe’s mutual civil protection mechanism.
Key Points
Pictured: Aerial view reveals scale of devastation in Greek forest
15:20, Salma Ouaguira
Wildfire near Athens burned area almost twice the size of Manhattan
15:00, Salma Ouaguira
A European Union satellite mapping agency says 104 sq. kilometers (40 sq. miles) of land was burned northeast of Athens this week during a deadly wildfire that gutted dozens of homes and prompted multiple countries to send assistance.
The Copernicus Emergency Management Service announced the damage estimate Wednesday, a day after the wildfire was contained in a massive effort that ended on the outskirts of the capital.
A factory worker was killed in the fire that swept through mountainous areas southward, covering an area almost twice the size of Manhattan and blanketing the Greek capital with a thick cloud of smoke.
Pictured: Cemetery near Athens surrounded by trail of wildfire destruction
14:40, Salma Ouaguira
Over 100 homes damaged during deadly wildfires
14:20, Salma Ouaguira
As many as a 100 homes have suffered the devastating consequences of the deadly wildfire engulfing Greece.
Evacuated residents in the suburbs of Athens have returned to homes reduced to ashes, destroyed buildings and dead trees.
Sakis Morfis, a Vrilissia resident said that his house was “utterly destroyed”.
The 70-year-old told Reuters: “Even the walls fell down. There is nothing left. There’s no morale, no courage, there’s no money anymore, everything was destroyed,” he said.
The government has announced support measures for those affected by the fires.
The package includes rent subsidies, a three-year property tax exemption, and financial aid.
Mapped: Which areas in Greece have been affected by the fire alerts?
14:00, Salma Ouaguira
Greece’s prime minister urged to resign for wildfire response
13:40, Salma Ouaguira
Greece’s prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has come under fire for his response to the devastating blaze tha hit the country.
Right-wing Greek Solution party leader Kyriakos Velopoulos asked for his immediate resignation branding him “irresponsible”.
Mr Velopoulos said: “At a time when even the urban fabric of Attica was burned, the Prime Minister remains missing, probably waiting for advice to assume responsibility from his communications staff.
“Let the ‘[serially] irresponsible’ Mitsotakis finally take on the sole political responsibility that belongs to him and submit his resignation.”
It comes as the Greek prime minister chaired a meeting about the latest blaze on Tuesday evening.
“We are trying to improve every year. But conditions are only becoming tougher,” he told ministers according to a government official.
Pictured: Greeks wake up to scorched homes after deadly blaze
13:20, Salma Ouaguira
Is it safe to travel to Athens during Greece wildfires?
13:00, Salma Ouaguira
Serious forest fire is raging out of control on the outskirts of the Greek capital and tourists are being evacuated in the suburbs of Athens.
Traveling to Greece has not been officially advised against but holidaymakers who have booked a trip to the capital should contact their travel provider for guidance.
Flights are continuing normally for now at Athens airport: smoke can be seen from planes taking off, our travel correspondent Simon Calderwrites.
The standard approach for arriving aircraft has been to loop around to the south of Athens, over the Saronic Gulf, and land from southwest to northeast.
Departing aircraft are taking off normally over the Petalioi Gulf. There is no immediate threat to the airport as the area surrounding it is partly built up, and the open land has very little vegetation.
Three flights from London Heathrow landed at Eleftherios Venizelos in the early hours of Tuesday morning, and several more are under way: easyJet from London Gatwick, Ryanair from Luton and Jet2 from Manchester.
Jet2 is telling passengers: “We are aware of the wildfires affecting an area of Athens and are monitoring the situation closely.
“As it currently stands, Athens airport is still open and we are planning to operate our flights as planned. Please allow extra time for your journey to the airport, as there may be road closures in place.”
Pictured: Burnt greenhouse in the Attica region of Greece
12:40, Salma Ouaguira
How serious are the Greece wildfires near Athens?
12:20, Rich Booth
Firefighters continued to battle small pockets of wildfire around Athens on Wednesday morning, with officials claiming the blaze is all but over.
Government inspectors are now assessing damaged buildings as residents returned to their scorched properties, counting the costs.
Tourists packed the hot streets of Athens as temperatures continued to hit the country. Most of Greece is on high fire alert until Thursday, with temperatures forecast to hit 40 degrees Celsius.
Most of the fronts had eased three days after the inferno had first taken hold, but officials warned against complacency.
The cause of the fire is yet to be determined but the blame game has already begun with opposition parties and media claiming the region was underprepared.
A very high fire risk (risk category 4) is forecast tomorrow for the following areas:
Major wildfires burned over a third of Athens suburban forest
12:00, Rich Booth
The wildfires from the last eight years have wiped out a third (37 per cent) of the total forest land in areas outside Athens.
A European Union satellite mapping agency says 104 sq. kilometers (40 sq. miles) of land was burned northeast of Athens this week during a deadly wildfire that gutted dozens of homes and prompted multiple countries to send assistance.
The Copernicus Emergency Management Service announced the damage estimate Wednesday, a day after the wildfire was contained in a massive effort that ended on the outskirts of the capital.
A factory worker was killed in the fire that swept through mountainous areas southward, covering an area almost twice the size of Manhattan and blanketing the Greek capital with a thick cloud of smoke.
According to an updated estimate by the National Observatory of Athens, over the past eight years 450 sq. kilometers (174 sq. miles) of forest have been burned in the Attica region that includes Athens.
That amounts to 37 per cent of the region’s total forested area.
European commission’s emergency support to Greece wildfires
11:20, Salma Ouaguira
The European Commission’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) mobilised emergency support to Greece in response to the wildfires.
Aerial and ground firefighting resources from several EU countries were sent as part of a collective effort to assist areas outside Athens.
The support package includes firefighting planes from Italy, a helicopter from France and a helicopter offered by Serbia.
Ground firefighting teams were also deployed from Czechia, France, Italy, Serbia and Romania.
Romanian, Maltese and Moldovan firefighters landed were among the first responders battling the deadly fires.
Pictured: Marble factory damaged by wildfire
11:00, Salma Ouaguira
Extreme heat warnings for five countries across southern Europe amid Greek fires
10:40, Salma Ouaguira
Extreme heat in high summer is once again causing disruption for many travellers to southern Europe, following events last summer such as the mass evacuation of 20,000 holidaymakers from the Greek island of Rhodes due to wildfires.
Earlier this year many British tourists in Kos were moved from their hotels as a precaution as wildfires flared. Now firefighters are tackling blazes immediately outside Athens.
The European Union Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid unit says: “2023 was a record-breaking year, with the largest fire ever in Europe, one of the worst wildfire seasons on record in the EU.
“The fire risk is expected to further increase due to climate change. The season will be increasingly characterised by massive fires that cost lives and burn areas that take longer to fully recover.
“The wildfire risk expanded to areas that have not previously been exposed, moving well beyond the Mediterranean region.”
Our travel correspondent Simon Calder has the full story:
Extreme heat warnings across southern Europe as August temperatures rise
Satellite image shows East Attica covered in thick smoke
10:20, Salma Ouaguira
Whole country on high alert as temperatures reach extreme highs
10:10, Salma Ouaguira
Greece remains on high fire alert as forecasts predict temperatures will reach heats of 40C across the country.
Although most of the wildfire front has been extinguished, the extreme weather has heightened the risk for possible flare-ups in Athens.
It comes as firefighters continue to battle the blaze between the ancient town of Marathon and Lake Marathon.
Heartbroken residents returned to houses rescued to ashes looking for their last belongings among the debris.
Astonishing pictures showed blackened ground in all directions with dead trees and destroyed buildings.
Firefighters battling to extinguish remnants of wildfire near Athens
10:00, Salma Ouaguira
Firefighters continue to battle the remnants of the wildfire scattered near Athens.
Although most of the front has eased after three days of deadly blaze, Greece continues on high alert.
A fire brigade official said: “The fire is still in progress. It has not been brought under control yet.”
State inspectors are now assessing damaged buildings while residents return to their destroyed properties.
During a meeting yesterday, prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis responded to criticism about his response to the devastating fire.
“We are trying to improve every year. But conditions are only becoming tougher,” he told ministers according to a government official.
Pictured: Firefighters continue works on buildings reduced to ashes
09:40, Salma Ouaguira
Report: Wildfires up to three times more likely due to climate change
09:20, Salma Ouaguira
Unprecedented fires that raged in Canada and parts of the Amazon were at least three times more likely because of climate change, the first annual assessment of wildfires has shown.
The report also said that wildfires in Greece, which Athens is currently suffering from, are twice as likely.
The first “state of wildfires” report – which is set to be published annually – assesses extreme wildfires that took place between March 2023 to February 2024, their causes, whether they could be predicted and how the risk of similar events will increase with future climate change.
Read the full report below:
Wildfires up to three times more likely due to climate change, new report claims
Greece fires ignite anger against government
09:00, Salma Ouaguira
The deadly wildfires that broke out in the Athens suburbs on Sunday leaving one women dead and thousands evacuated.
Northeastern areas of the capital have been reduced to ashes with dozens of homes destroyed by the blaze.
The harrowing scenes have sparked widespread anger against the Greece’s prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
Opposition parties have criticised the center-right government’s response and number of emergency teams sent to the affected areas.
Leader of the main opposition SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance party Stefanos Kasselakis said the rapid spreading of the fires are something that would “suit Kabul, not Athens”.
The left-wing politician said: “Political responsibility is determined by the results of political actions and political choices.
“For a fire to cross 40 kilometers through the already half-burned Attica and then enter and burn urban areas, this is something that suits Kabul, not Athens.”
Pictured: Houses left in ruins after deadly Greek wildfire
08:40, Salma Ouaguira
Greek government announces compensation for victims
08:30, Salma Ouaguira
Prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has announced compensation and relief measures for victims of a fire that the National Observatory said damaged around 10,000 hectares of land.
Measures announced by the climate crisis and civil protection ministry include rent subsidies, a three-year property tax exemption, and financial aid.
The government’s support package includes an initial support payment of €10,000 (£8,500) for properties found too dangerous for use.
Houses deemed temporary unsuitable will receive €5,000 (£4,300).
‘Unbelievable’ wildfire left residents unable to breathe
08:20, Rich Booth
Many in the region expressed shock at how close the fire had come to central Athens, claiming they had been caught unaware.
Stavros Sdrolias, a student who lives in nearby Chalandri, was one of many volunteers who rushed to help put out fires on Monday.
The 21-year-old said the smoke was “unbelievable”, adding that, at the height of the fires, you couldn’t leave the house as it was impossible to breathe.
“At 8pm I went to a centre that was housing people who had been evacuated, to help. We then planned to give the firefighters food, but when we arrived at the flames we realised we needed to help. We were running around with buckets of water for two hours.”
Other volunteers at the scene came from Athens city centre, including a man who had lost his house in the deadly fires of 2018, which killed 104 people.
Stavros added: “The fire was focused on Anapafseos [St]– it’s a long road that doesn’t even have one fire hydrant. It’s ridiculous. Firefighters were having to drive 10 minutes back and forth to get water.”
Woman found dead in factory after the blaze
07:58, Salma Ouaguira
One woman died in Vrilissia, a municipality with a population of 32,000.
Locals said she was in her sixties and became trapped in a building, too afraid to jump from the window. Her body was found inside by firefighters.
Other businesses in the area were destroyed, with residents reporting explosions throughout the night.
Athens holds its breath as deadly wildfires leave a trail of devastation
07:45, Rich Booth
Greece continued to battle deadly wildfires on Tuesday, 48 hours after a giant wall of flame spread to just six miles from Athens city centre.
The fires had eased by the morning, but fears over strong winds reigniting pockets meant that the authorities were on high alert as helicopters swooped over the city dropping water on several areas.
The Independent’s Rich Booth reports from Greece:
Athens holds its breath as deadly wildfires leave a trail of devastation
Pictured: Drone view shows aftermath of disastrous wildfire
07:20, Salma Ouaguira
Will British travellers make a shift to more northerly destinations?
07:00, Simon Calder
In the wake of the 2023 wildfires in Greece, our travel correspondent Simon Calder writes:
British travellers must reappraise their travel preferences. Extreme heat appears to be becoming a feature of some Mediterranean countries, especially in July and August.
Doing what we have always done, summer after summer, is not necessarily the correct answer.
If temperatures continue to rise, a more northerly destination will be more appropriate and less environmentally damaging. A wide range of holiday locations are unlikely to encounter extreme heat, for example:
British seaside resorts.
Overseas nations close to the UK including Ireland, Belgium and the Netherlands.
The Baltic coast of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.
Curiously, weather-informed choice already happens in the reverse direction. UK holidaymakers are famously responsive to wet British summers.
If it rains relentlessly from June to September, tour operators know to expect strong bookings for overseas holidays for the following summer.
Ground report: Greek firefighters battle through the night as flames threaten Athens
06:00, Rich Booth
Greece’s worst wildfire this year continued to spread into the Athens suburbs on Monday evening after first igniting on Sunday afternoon, forcing hundreds of people to flee homes and hospitals.
Tourists on the hills around the Acropolis watched as smoke spread over the busy city.
A warning has been issued to anyone near affected areas to exercise caution when leaving the house due to the density of the smoke. Power cuts were reported in several parts of the capital, now thick with the smell of burning.
The fire was burning in a wide arc on the capital’s northeastern fringes, sending a blanket of smoke over central Athens on Sunday. There has been no disruption reported at Athens airports where those landing and taking off could see a wall of smoke darkening the sky on Monday morning.
Greek firefighters battle through the night as flames threaten Athens
More than 700 firefighters and wildfire teams battle the flames
05:00, Salma Ouaguira
More than 700 firefighters, backed by 27 special wildfire teams, and armed forces personnel were battling the flames overnight.
Around 190 vehicles, 17 water-dropping planes and 16 helicopters were also deployed to the affected areas.
The wildfire raced through pine forests left tinder-dry by repeated heat waves this summer.
June and July were the hottest months ever recorded in Greece, which also recorded its warmest winter ever. An early start of the fire season this year has strained Greece’s firefighting force
“Firefighters have been working at full tilt for months,” said Nikos Lavranos, head of Greece’s main firefighters’ union. “They are exhausted.”
Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Vassilis Kikilias said earlier Monday it was “an exceptionally dangerous fire, which we have been fighting for more than 20 hours under dramatic circumstances.”
Some areas burning on Mount Pendeli were particularly hard to reach, he added.
Pictured: Firefighters visit burned properties for the first registering of damages
04:00, Salma Ouaguira
At least 18 people were injured due to smoke inhalation
03:00, Salma Ouaguira
A blanket of smoke and ash shrouded central Athens while power cuts hit parts of the Greek capital and affected traffic lights at major central junctions.
Authorities said at least 18 people were injured, mostly due to smoke inhalation as the blaze reached outlying sections of a suburb.
Athens hospitals continue to be on heightened alert as paramedics and ambulances treat five firefighters for light burns and breathing problems, and at least 13 civilians.
The Athens Medical Association warned those with chronic conditions, the elderly, pregnant women, children and those with respiratory and heart problems to be extra cautious.
Pictured: Exhausted fireman sits outside destroyed factory
02:00, Salma Ouaguira
Pictured: Volunteers and firefighters try to extinguish a fire
01:00, Salma Ouaguira
Greece wildfire ‘something out of Apocalypse Now’
Tuesday 13 August 2024 22:00, Salma Ouaguira
Residents who witnessed the deadly Greek wildfire raging towards their homes have said they felt like they were witnessing the “end of the world just beyond our doorstep”.
Roberta Kapsalis, who lives in the seaside town of Schinias in Marathon, revealed the harrowing moment the flames approached her area.
She told Metro: “The fire has been nothing short of a nightmare, a real-life ‘Apocalypse Now’. Watching this massive blaze approach has been surreal, like something out of a dark fantasy.
“The sight of the flames consuming everything in their path, inching closer and closer, has felt like a slow-motion horror movie.
“It reminded me vividly of the scenes from The Lord of the Rings when Sauron’s ominous presence looms over Middle-Earth, with his fiery eye burning in the sky.”
Where are the Greek wildfires?
Tuesday 13 August 2024 20:30, Salma Ouaguira
Animal charities call for more assistance to treat burned pets
Tuesday 13 August 2024 20:00, Salma Ouaguira
Animal rescuers have called for assistance from trained vets to treat burned pets at their centre.
Taking to Facebook, Dog’s Voice urged locals to donate pet food to feed dozens of animals.
In a post, they said: “We continue to accept animals from the affected areas. Six burned animals are currently being treated at Animal Doctorz and vet clinic in Glyka Nera and two animals unfortunately succumbed to their burns.
“At the station, as always, we have veterinarians of the Voluntary Action of Veterinarians of Greece (E.D.K.E.) and other private veterinarians who take care of the station’s animals.
“However, we need at least veterinary assistants to come here for the whole night.”
Fears strong winds will spread deadly fire in Athens
Tuesday 13 August 2024 19:30, Salma Ouaguira
Meteorologists have raised the alarm at strong winds likely to spread the deadly fire in Athens.
Local media reported winds have now died, helping to control the large blaze but they are still blowing at fairly significant intensities in the capital.
As Meteo.gr of the National Observatory of Athens predicted wind gusts in Attica could exceed 60-70 km/h, locally. Particularly dangerous are the lunch hours, from midday to 3pm.
The forecast also claimed winds are expected to weaken and in the evening dropping significantly.
Watch: Greece forest fire smoke clouds sky with orange haze
Tuesday 13 August 2024 19:00, Salma Ouaguira
Greece wildfire forces thousands of evacuations
Tuesday 13 August 2024 18:30, Salma Ouaguira
Three hospitals, including a children’s hospital, two monasteries and a children’s home have been evacuated following the wildfire in Greece.
Cellphones in the area got at least 30 push alerts warning people to flee.
Greece’s coast guard diverted all ferries from a nearby port serving several Aegean Sea islands, to another harbor.
Sports halls and hotels were turned into evacuation centers.
Authorities said some people who refused to leave their homes later became trapped and required rescuing, endangering the lives of firefighters.
The affected areas at the closest, some 15 kilometers (9 miles) from the heart of Athens where the famed Acropolis and other archeological sites are located typically have thousands of residents.
Greece wildfire raging as residents evacuate Athens suburbs in pictures
Tuesday 13 August 2024 17:10, Salma Ouaguira
Greek residents fear ‘dramatic situation’ could escalate as fire burns homes
Tuesday 13 August 2024 17:00, Salma Ouaguira
Residents evacuated from areas in northern suburbs in Athena fear the “dramatic situation” could further escalate with winds expected to reach 43 miles per hour.
In scenes never before seen in the Greek capital, people wearing masks were battling against the blaze to stop their homes from being reduced to ashes.
Suburbs near Nea Penteli and Vrilissia have been evacuated to protect them from the fire advancing through the forest.
Melina Kritseli, 40, a civil servant living in a two-storey white house in Patima Halandriou said: “(It’s) the first time ever the fire has come here.”
“I took my children to a friend’s house to be safe,” she told AFP.
Penteli Mayor Natassa Kosmopoulou branded the situation “dramatic,” adding: “A school and homes are on fire, and I can see the fire coming towards the town hall.”
Watch: Firefighters continue to extinguish Greece wildfires via helicopters as strong winds worsen them
Tuesday 13 August 2024 16:10, Salma Ouaguira
Residents cries ’you couldn’t do anything’ as he watched home burning
Tuesday 13 August 2024 15:50, Salma Ouaguira
Sakis Morris has described the desperate moment he watched the flames burned out of control destroying everything he owned.
Mr Morris, who lives in the Athens suburb of Vrilissia, said the fire left his home in ashes.
He told Sky News: “A huge flame appeared from behind and everything melted in a minute,” he says, looking at the charred remains of his porch.
“A big flame appeared suddenly and we had to leave. The speed of the wind was very high, you couldn’t do anything.”
Greece wildfire ‘something out of Apocalypse Now'
Tuesday 13 August 2024 15:30, Salma Ouaguira
Residents who witnessed the deadly Greek wildfire raging towards their homes have said they felt like they were witnessing the “end of the world just beyond our doorstep”.
Roberta Kapsalis, who lives in the seaside town of Schinias in Marathon, revealed the harrowing moment the flames approached her area.
She told Metro: “The fire has been nothing short of a nightmare, a real-life ‘Apocalypse Now’. Watching this massive blaze approach has been surreal, like something out of a dark fantasy.
“The sight of the flames consuming everything in their path, inching closer and closer, has felt like a slow-motion horror movie.
“It reminded me vividly of the scenes from The Lord of the Rings when Sauron’s ominous presence looms over Middle-Earth, with his fiery eye burning in the sky.”