A firefighting helicopter drops water on a wildfire in the forest at Keratea, southeast of Athens, Greece, June 30, 2024. Since the start of the wildfire season on May 1, firefighters are called to handle dozens of wildfires every day across the country. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos) Firefighters try to put out a fire in the forest at Keratea, southeast of Athens, Greece, June 30, 2024. Smoke rises from a wildfire at Keratea, southeast of Athens, Greece, June 30, 2024. which includes deploying an extra fire engine to each new blaze speeding up air support and clearing forests.Writing by Angeliki Koutantou; Editing by Gareth Jones and Emelia Sithole-Matarise Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab , opens new tab Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. , opens new tabScreen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. © 2025 Reuters. All rights reserved A big wildfire broke out southeast of the Greek capital near Keratea on Saturday evening, with residents in one settlement told to move to a safer area. The flames were burning low grassland but there were scattered houses in the area which could be threatened. More than 100 firefighters with 30 vehicles and four units on foot have been deployed, the fire service said. The  Shortly before 11 p.m. an emergency alert message was issued to residents of Ano Daskalio to evacuate towards Keratea. Due to the blaze, traffic has been diverted at the junction of Lavrio Avenue and the Keratea–Anavyssos secondary road. The mayor of Lavreotiki, Dimitris Loukas, told Kathimerini that the flames had reached the first houses but residents had been evacuated in time. “We managed to evacuate them in time, the fire touched the first houses,” but no damages have been reported, Loukas said, adding that municipal crews are currently trying to open a fire zone to stop the flames. Enter your information below to receive our weekly newsletters with the latest insights, opinion pieces and current events straight to your inbox. The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers When you purchase through links on our site ’Everyone is anxious’ said British holidaymaker after fires broke out in Chios and Kos I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Tourists have been evacuated from hotels in Greece as wildfires break out across the country Firefighters battled blazes on the eastern Aegean islands of Chios and Kos on Monday and injured five people, as Greece’s prime minister warned of a dangerous summer ahead and said the public’s help was essential in limiting the impact of wildfires Last year 20 people were killed in wildfires during the summer months Wildfires are common in the Mediterranean country drier and windier weather that scientists link to the effects of climate change has increased their frequency and intensity Emergency services issued evacuation orders for those in the Metohi area of western Chios on Monday morning along with eight teams of firefighters specializing in wildfires seven water-dropping planes and three helicopters were fighting the blaze Fire department spokesman Vasilis Vathrakoyiannis said two firefighters had been lightly injured while dozens more firefighters were heading to the island by boat from the nearby island of Lesbos and from Athens State-run ERT television later reported that another two firefighters and a volunteer had suffered non life-threatening burns and all Civil Protection forces will make great efforts to limit it,” Vathrakoyiannis said during an evening briefing Another fire broke out further to the south in the Aegean and by late Monday had forced the evacuation of several people That blaze was being tackled by more than 100 firefighters as well as six water-dropping planes and two helicopters “It’s really windy here, it will be like a tinderbox,” she said. “The sky is covered in smoke. You feel like you’re in the apocalypse, or some sort of war film.” In total, Greece saw 52 wildfires breaking out in the previous 24-hour period, 44 of which were tackled in the early stages, Vathrakoyiannis said. Authorities were still battling a total of eight fires by Monday evening. The blazes come a day after the fire department managed to tame two large forest fires near Athens that had been fanned by strong winds. “We have had an exceptionally difficult June regarding weather conditions, with high levels of drought and unusually strong winds for this season,” Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Monday during a Cabinet meeting. This year’s summer, he said, “is predicted to be particularly dangerous” for wildfires. Mitsotakis said the use of drones as part of an early warning system for wildfires had been particularly useful this year and credited better coordination between authorities and volunteer firefighters for limiting the extent of fire damage so far. “We are entering the tough core of the anti-fire period, and this will certainly not be won without the help of the public as well, particularly in the field of prevention,” Mitsotakis said. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies A pine tree on fire in Keratea area, southeast of Athens, Greece Forest fires that raged near Athens over the weekend have been brought under control, firefighters said Monday, but fresh blazes sprang up elsewhere as authorities warned of a difficult fire season ahead. Fanned by strong winds of up to 70 kilometres (43 miles) per hour and dry conditions, two fires broke out Sunday in the seaside resort of Keratea, east of Athens, and the wooded suburb of Stamata. Authorities evacuated residents and a 45-year-old man died of cardiac arrest while trying to flee the flames in Stamata, police said. The flames destroyed several houses and cars. By Monday, firefighters had brought most of the flames under control, said fire department spokesperson Vasilis Vathrakogiannis. “The fires were contained by firefighters, supported on Sunday by water bombers and helicopters, who fought in very dangerous conditions,” he said. He added that the easing of the winds had helped control most of the fires across the country. A wildfire that ignited Saturday afternoon in the area of Mount Parnitha – known as “the lungs of Athens” – was brought under control Saturday evening with the help of reinforcements from other regions as well as volunteer firefighters. But more fires were igniting, with the Greek fire brigade recording 52 new blazes on Monday. The worst of the fires was raging on the Aegean island of Chios, where 142 firefighters, seven planes and three helicopters were deployed to try put out the flames, Vathrakogiannis said. Two firefighters were lightly injured in the operation, he added. On the island of Kos, popular with foreign tourists, more than 100 firefighters and eight aircraft were deployed to battle another blaze. Authorities there called on residents and visitors to evacuate several areas threatened by flames. The island’s mayor, Theodosis Nikitaras, said on Facebook that public buildings could accommodate residents and visitors fleeing the fires. Greece, a tourist hotspot, faces a tough wildfire season after its warmest winter and earliest heatwave on record, with temperatures hitting 44 degrees Celsius (111 degrees Fahrenheit) in June. Praising the fire service’s work, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said that the Mount Parnitha and Stamata blazes had burnt fewer than 100 hectares (247 acres). But he warned that the Mediterranean country had “now entered the heart of the fire season”, calling on Greeks to do their bit to prevent blazes. “The fight against fires will continue… it will certainly not be won without the help of citizens,” Mitsotakis told a cabinet meeting. Scientists warn that fossil fuel emissions caused by humans are worsening the length and intensity of heatwaves around the world. Rising temperatures are leading to extended wildfire seasons and increasing the area burnt by the blazes, according to the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. A firefighter struggles to extinguish a forest fire at Keratea area, southeast of Athens, Greece, Sunday, June 30, 2024. Two large wildfires were burning Sunday near Greece’s capital of Athens, and authorities sent emergency messages for some residents to evacuate and others to stay at home and close their windows to protect themselves from smoke. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis) A firefighting helicopter drops water over a wildfire at Keratea area, southeast of Athens, Greece, Sunday, June 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis) A firefighter tries to extinguish a forest fire in the Keratea area, southeast of Athens, Greece, Sunday, June 30, 2024. Two large wildfires were burning Sunday near Greece’s capital of Athens, and authorities sent emergency messages for some residents to evacuate and others to stay at home and close their windows to protect themselves from smoke. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis) A firefighting helicopter throws water over a wildfire at Keratea area, southeast of Athens, Greece, Sunday, June 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis) A burnt car is seen in the yard of a house after a wildfire at Keratea area, southeast of Athens, Greece, Sunday, June 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis) A destroyed home is seen amidst a burnt area after a wildfire at Keratea area, southeast of Athens, Greece, Sunday, June 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis) A burnt car is seen after a wildfire at Keratea area, southeast of Athens, Greece, Sunday, June 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis) A Chinook helicopter drops water over a wildfire at Keratea area, southeast of Athens, Greece, Sunday, June 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis) Firefighters try to extinguish a forest fire at Keratea area, southeast of Athens, Greece, Sunday, June 30, 2024. Two large wildfires were burning Sunday near Greece’s capital of Athens, and authorities sent emergency messages for some residents to evacuate and others to stay at home and close their windows to protect themselves from smoke. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis) A decorative object is seen inside a burnt house during a forest fire at Keratea area, southeast of Athens, Greece, Sunday, June 30, 2024. Two large wildfires were burning Sunday near Greece’s capital of Athens, and authorities sent emergency messages for some residents to evacuate and others to stay at home and close their windows to protect themselves from smoke. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis) ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Two large wildfires were burning Sunday near Greece’s capital of Athens, and authorities sent emergency messages for some residents to evacuate and others to stay at home and close their windows to protect themselves from smoke. The first blaze, southeast of Athens, began in early afternoon. Local authorities said it burned at least four homes and several cars. No casualties were reported by 6 p.m. The blaze was approaching the port of Lavrio about 60 kilometers (37 miles) southeast of Athens. The area has suffered from wildfires in recent years. A small forest to the south, near Cape Sounio, also could be in danger. A second, fast-moving fire later began north of Athens near the suburb of Stamata. It was burning through scrubland and forest and moving up 1,100-meter (3,600-foot) Mount Penteli, one of four mountains ringing the capital area. A total of 230 firefighters, 17 planes and 12 helicopters were trying to put out both fires, the Fire Service said. The planes and helicopters can only operate in daylight. Hot and dry weather, combined with strong winds, are helping spread the fires. Temperatures in the low 30s Celsius (high 80s F) are expected to rise Monday and Tuesday. Reporting by Renee Maltezou and Michele Kambas; Editing by Helen Popper and Alex Richardson Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker and neighbouring villages have gathered round a shed the centre of resistance to plans to locate a landfill in their area There is standing room only for the hundreds who regularly turn up On cold nights they gather round a brasero to discuss tactics Whole families come along for an old-fashioned evening's entertainment Debate centres on plans for continuing the campaign strategy and recipes for Molotov cocktails Anarchist websites have voiced their solidarity and posted videos of police reprisals on Indymedia.org On 9 April the composer Mikis Theodorakis visited Keratea and endorsed the action at a weekend festival of Resistance Art "It's our Woodstock," says Yiorgos Bintarchas He has been limping for several days after a bad fall during a clash with the riot police who have been guarding the site of the future tip for the past four months He threw his first petrol bomb a week earlier just as he is proud his two sons have joined the campaign the younger ones throw them," he explains "If throwing Molotov cocktails was an Olympic discipline Keratea would get a gold medal," says Bintarchas "In a war you need soldiers," says Vassilis A few hundred yards away riot police are guarding the road to the future landfill They shower demonstrators who come too close with water cannon only resorting to tear gas when their numbers increase Residents blocked the main road to Athens when the government gave the go-ahead for work on the dump Earth-moving machinery was burned and complaints have been lodged with the courts the home of a local police station commander was attacked with firebombs that destroyed three cars parked outside Keratea residents carved a 1.5m trench across the highway that has been the main battle zone of the protest "We are the people being subjected to violence with the police and the government against us The Council of State yields to government pressure and the courts aren't independent," says Vassilis Thinaios the deputy-mayor of Lavreotiki (of which Keratea is a part) "We don't want to become the toilets of Athens," says Katharina Some residents highlight the beauty of the landscape the proximity of an archaeological site and the shaky subsoil after centuries of mining The environment ministry says "Keratea is a good location for a landfill It also points out that the facility is designed to handle waste from southeast Attica About 10 years ago the government announced plans for three landfill sites in Attica, which produces almost half the nation's waste. They will take the place of the illegal tips which have got Greece into trouble with the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg The Greek government has been given till June to close about 100 dumps still in use with the threat of a heavy fine if it fails to comply "This type of tip is outdated," says Robert Elliot "The average Greek disposes of 370 kg of waste a year Visiting Athens on 8 and 9 April the EU environment commissioner, Janez Potocnik acknowledged that waste disposal in Greece depended "largely on landfill" "But we must take things one step at a time The top priority is to close the illegal tips," he said adding a word of encouragement for the government: "They are making a genuine effort to improve the situation." This article originally appeared in Le Monde A coastguard vessel was on standby overnight for possible evacuations by sea Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. Hundreds of firefighters backed up by helicopters and water-carrying planes battled a huge wildfire on Greece‘s second-biggest island for a second day on Tuesday as authorities ordered the evacuation of two villages The fire broke out near the village of Petries in the centre of the island of Evia at about 3 pm on Monday and strong winds fuelled its spread Evia was struck by massive wildfires in 2021 and also suffered extensive damage last summer Monday’s fire followed successive heat waves across southern Europe in recent weeks While the situation had slightly improved on Tuesday flare ups remain a risk due to the windy conditions Thirteen aircraft and six helicopters were at the scene on Tuesday about 60 km (37 miles) northeast of the capital, Athens. A coastguard vessel was on standby overnight for possible evacuations by sea. “It was - and is - a difficult fire as it started in a difficult spot,” Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Vassilis Kikilias, who travelled to Evia late on Monday, was quoted as saying by state broadcaster ERT. Wildfires in Greece have become more frequent in recent years during increasingly hot, dry summers that scientists link to climate change. Last year, more than 8,000 blazes broke out, fire brigade data shows. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Greece had been dealing with “a very difficult summer” in terms of climate conditions. “We still have a very difficult month, August, ahead of us and obviously we all need to be on high alert,” he told ministers during a cabinet meeting. Since May, hundreds of wildfires have burned across the country, which just recorded its hottest June on record and its longest heatwave. Blazes have been turbocharged by strong winds and drought in several parts of the country. In 2021, a devastating wildfire raged for nearly a week in northern Evia, turning more than 115,000 acres (46,500 hectares) of land into ashes, destroying homes and killing animals. The risk of fire in some areas of Greece was rated as very high (category 4) on Tuesday, according to a forecast map. The areas at risk include are Attica (including the island of Kythera), Central Greece (Viotia, Evia, Fthiotida), the Peloponnese (Corinthia, Argolis and Lakonia), Thessaly (Larissa, Magnesia and the Sporades Islands), Central Macedonia (Thessaloniki and Kilkis), Crete, the Ionian Islands (Corfu) and the islands of the north Aegean (Lesvos, Chios, Samos and Ikaria). Last week UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called for countries to address the urgency of the extreme heat epidemic, fueled by climate change - days after the world registered its hottest day on record. “Extreme heat is the new abnormal,” Guterres said. “The world must rise to the challenge of rising temperatures,” he said. Climate change is making heatwaves more frequent, more intense and longer lasting across the world. Already this year, scorching conditions have killed 1,300 hajj pilgrims, closed schools for some 80 million children in Africa and Asia, and led to a spike in hospitalizations and deaths in the Sahel. Every month since June 2023 has now ranked as the planet’s warmest since records began in 1940, compared with the corresponding month in previous years, according the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service. A firefighter struggles to extinguish a forest fire at Keratea area, southeast of Athens, Greece, Sunday, June 30 You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed Two wildfires that burned near Athens since Sunday destroying dozens of houses and vehicles had eased by Monday morning More than 100 firefighters in full gear with 42 water engines and seven units on foot worked all night to contain the flames in a sparsely-populated area near the town of Keratea two helicopters were added to the firefighting efforts Authorities said they were on standby to prevent the scattered fires from spreading authorities had ordered evacuations before flames from burning pine and olive trees engulfed at least 10 houses “I estimate that we have 10 to 15 houses with damages in [the settlements of] Plaka and Markati,” Lavreotiki mayor Another fire in the community of Stamata north of Athens had been contained by Monday morning sending columns of smoke over parts of the city No houses were burned but a 45-year-old local resident suffered a heart attack and died A large firefighting contingent remained in the area to deal with the flames that reignited firefighters were still battling two large wildfires in the Ionian island of Zakynthos and in Viotia Enter your information below to receive our weekly newsletters with the latest insights opinion pieces and current events straight to your inbox ​​​​​​​A large fire is burning for a second day in Vilia in West Attica with several communities being evacuated as well as a nursing home as the fire approached and burned the surrounding virgin pine forest on Mount Patera air teams started dousing in Vilia with 6 helicopters and 5 aircraft Ground teams of 330 firefighters are operating the Motorized Special Operations Department as well as forces provided by the European Mechanism and Special Protection Policy Poland is participating with 143 firefighters with 46 vehicles The Greek Army is also assisting with 5 groups of infantry units Several volunteers are also participating with construction equipment from the Army and water tankers of the region the Defkalia Plan was activated and the Greek Army has sent 5 groups of infantry units for assistance Assistance is also provided by many volunteer firefighters as well as water tankers of the region and the local municipalities The fire of Keratea in the South East Attica region that broke out on Monday in low vegetation has already burned houses and forest while there are still scattered active fires inside the perimeter where 104 firefighters are operating both fires in Vilia and Keratea are being investigated on suspicion of arson The Fire Brigade said that the 2 fires in Vilia and Keratea were the most severe among the several fires that broke out in the country suffered one of the largest wildfires burning thousands of hectares of pristine pine forests and destroying hundreds of houses Greece battled more than 1,200 forest fires in June more than double the number from the same month last year The country has experienced its warmest winter and earliest heatwave on record with temperatures hitting 44 degrees Celsius (111 degrees Fahrenheit) in the first half of June Strong winds and drought conditions have fanned fires in recent weeks in the area around Athens on the island of Chios near the Turkish mainland and in the Peloponnese region south of the capital Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis told a press briefing there had been 1,281 fires this June compared with 533 last June “This June was the hottest on record and the forecast for July is similar,” he added Scientists say climate change makes extreme weather events including heatwaves more likely Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis warned earlier this month that Greece had “entered the heart of the fire season” The temperature in parts of the country is expected to climb beyond 40C once again in the coming days Greece endured an unprecedented two-week heatwave last year that led to deadly wildfires which broke out shortly after 11 pm on Monday night ————————————————————————————————— Firefighters continue to battle the Keratea fire that broke out shortly after 11 p.m there is no single front with firefighters dealing with scattered “candles” within the burned area Strong winds blowing in the area continue to be a problem and helped the fire grow in size Monday night said the fire started at the edge of the settlement of Dipseliza “at the edge of the picket fence and the spread was rapid because of the winds.” He said 8 elderly residents of the area had to be evacuated as a precautionary measure adding that the fire has not crossed to the opposite side of the mountain There are 76 firefighters operating in the area while it will be considered in a few hours whether air assets will be flown a message was issued by 112 for evacuation from Paliokamariza to Lavrio the message said: “If you are in the area of Paliokamariza Follow the instructions of the authorities” Follow en.protothema.gr on Google News and be the first to know all the news See all the latest News from Greece and the World, the moment they happen, at en.protothema.gr