Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. A wildfire approaches the village of Kallithea as fanned by strong winds raged uncontrolled despite the attempts of hundreds of firefighters to stop it, some 149 kilometers (93 miles) west of Athens, Greece, in the region of Corinthia, late Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo) A resident reacts as a wildfire approaches the village of Ano Loutro as fanned by strong winds raged uncontrolled despite the attempts of hundreds of firefighters to stop it, some 131 kilometers (81 miles) west of Athens, Greece, in the region of Corinthia, late Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo) A wildfire approaches the village of Ano Loutro as fanned by strong winds raged uncontrolled despite the attempts of hundreds of firefighters to stop it, some 131 kilometers (81 miles) west of Athens, Greece, in the region of Corinthia, late Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo) Residents watch a wildfire approaching the village of Kallithea as fanned by strong winds raged uncontrolled despite the attempts of hundreds of firefighters to stop it, some 149 kilometers (93 miles) west of Athens, Greece, in the region of Corinthia, late Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo) A wildfire burns a forest near the village of Kallithea as fanned by strong winds raged uncontrolled despite the attempts of hundreds of firefighters to stop it, some 149 kilometers (93 miles) west of Athens, Greece, in the region of Corinthia, late Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo) A firefighter tries to extinguish the flames near the village of Kallithea as fanned by strong winds raged uncontrolled despite the attempts of the authorities to stop the wildfire, some 149 kilometers (93 miles) west of Athens, Greece, in the region of Corinthia, late Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo) The fire service said about 350 firefighters, assisted by 18 water-dropping aircraft, were battling the blaze near Xylokastro in the Peloponnese region. While the initial large front was put out, scattered flare-ups continued to burn, forcing evacuation orders for three villages on Monday. The blaze also led authorities to shut down a section of a major highway linking Athens to the western port city of Patras Monday night, with traffic diverted to an older, smaller road. Civil protection officials warned that several parts of the country, including Rhodes and other southeastern Aegean Sea islands, would face a high risk of wildfires Tuesday. Authorities said the two dead men were believed to be residents who were declared missing late Sunday. No one else was reported missing. There were no immediate reports of burned homes in the affected area, located some 150 kilometers (93 miles) southwest of Greece’s capital, Athens. Firefighters assisted by five water-dropping aircraft were also battling a forest fire that broke out Monday farther south, near Xerokambi in the central Peloponnese. Another wildfire near Andravida, in the western Peloponnese, was also brought under control on Monday, but firefighters remained on alert. Greek authorities say two people have died overnight Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Two people have died in a large wildfire burning near a seaside town in central Greece The fire service said about 350 firefighters managed early Monday to largely bring under control the blaze near Xylokastro in the Peloponnese region A Fire Service spokesman said that 27 forest fires have erupted across Greece in the last 24 hours and authorities triggered a red warning in several regions for Sunday and Monday due to strong winds Half a dozen villages were ordered evacuated overnight as a precaution after the blaze broke out on Sunday The flames were fanned on by very strong winds blowing through forests left tinder-dry by a warm spring and hot summer Authorities said the two dead were believed to be local residents declared missing late Sunday Greek police spokeswoman Constantina Dimoglidou said the recovered bodies were severely burnt and that laboratory tests were necessary for their identification The fire brigade has launched an investigation the Greek Citizen’s Protection Ministry said There were no immediate reports of burned homes in the affected area, some 150 kilometers (93 miles) southwest of Athens is plagued by destructive wildfires every summer authorities have had to cope with more than 4,500 wildfires In August fires spread in the region around Athens The blaze burned 40 square miles of land northeast of the Greek capital and came within just miles of reaching a tourist-packed centre broke out from a forest off Varnavas town near the ancient town of Marathon 35 km (22 miles) from the capital and into Athens’ northern suburbs 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% of the region’s total forested area. The country, which has recently tightened penalties for arson, has dealt with over 3,500 fires since May, a nearly 50 per cent increase from the same period in 2023 when it recorded 2,300 blazes. A resident reacts as a wildfire approaches the village of Ano Loutro as fanned by strong winds raged uncontrolled despite the attempts of hundreds of firefighters Reporting by Angeliki Koutantou; Additional reporting by Antonis Pothitos and Yannis Souliotis; Editing by Lincoln Feast and Miral Fahmy 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 US-based, but with Greek origins (Xylokastro, specifically) drone helicopter start-up Velos Rotors has announced a $2 million Seed round by Marathon Venture Capital Funds will help Velos further develop its drone tech and bring it to a level it meets market demand Velos has developed a pioneering UAV with a patented twin-engine design sub 55 lbs UAVs can consistently carry a 13 lb payload for 60 minutes with a 35 MPH cruise speed under pretty much any weather conditions "We crafted from the ground up what we are proving to be the best UAV in the market. Our drone helicopters are pushing aviation forward and we are excited to put them in the hands of more enterprise customers globally," says Velos' founder and CTO Aris Kolokythas "Multicopters are for hobbyists. The market needs industrial-grade UAVs, and Velos is the first to deliver them. We are thrilled to work together with Aris, Michael and team to bring meaningful innovation to the market. Plus, if you are into aviation and want to make an impact with your work, Velos is the place to be,” says Marathon Venture Capital partner George Tziralis The 70-year-old deputy mayor of Xylokastro-Evrostini the main suspect for arson in a deadly fire that occurred in late September a Corinth prosecutor ordered a preliminary investigation into the four-day fire that claimed two lives and burned 71 square kilometers of forest The deputy mayor was allegedly smoking his beehives to harvest honey on the day the fire started despite a civil protection warning against such activity due to a high wildfire risk (level four) in the Rozena area A local resident reported seeing the deputy mayor smoking his hives about 200-250 meters from where the fire ignited The fire service’s arson crimes directorate stated that the deputy mayor was fined last week Enter your information below to receive our weekly newsletters with the latest insights opinion pieces and current events straight to your inbox and a relaxed ambiance just an hour and a half from Athens seaside destinations become increasingly seductive There’s no need to venture far from Attica for a rich experience with ample time both in and beside the water One of our top recommendations is to visit the beaches of the Corinthian Gulf the first settlement past Xylokastro when coming from Athens It is a village of about 1,000 permanent residents that swells three to four times over in summer as both natives and numerous vacationers visit Kamari has in recent years seen the establishment of several notable accommodations this coastal village in Corinthia is an outstanding choice for a day at the sea or even for a family vacation spanning several days particularly those within a short distance of the Attica Basin reminiscent of the bygone glory of the 1980s and 1990s Anyone who visited any of the southern shores of the Corinthian Gulf last summer would have noted this And because Xylokastro can become overly bustling particularly on weekends during peak season The beach in Kamari spans two to three kilometers in length and is mostly pebbled with numerous tamarisk trees providing natural shade Like much of the southern Corinthian coast the waters are exceptionally clear and deepen swiftly these features make Kamari a splendid choice if you are among those who enjoy spending extended periods in the water Kamari is renowned not only among residents and those who enjoy vacationing along the Corinthian Gulf but also among those engaged in agriculture particularly in the cultivation of fruit-bearing trees and pistachio saplings to cultivators throughout Greece This specialization passed down from generation to generation nearly half of the families permanently residing in Kamari are professionally linked to these nurseries.This activity paints a beautiful picture of the settlement as the well-maintained nurseries create the impression of expansive gardens for visitors which houses exhibits related to traditional occupations of past eras A notable and well-known building in the village is the stone mansion where former Prime Minister Panagis Tsaldaris was born and raised and a courtyard gate typical of the era it was constructed Beside the house stands a bust of Panagis Tsaldaris Tsaldaris was a prime minister during the interwar period and the most significant political opponent of Eleftherios Venizelos following the Asia Minor Catastrophe this did not prevent him from maintaining a high level of political ethics during one of the most politically tense periods in Greek history It’s also worth visiting the Monastery of Panagia Korfis and it’s best to cross it in the early morning or late afternoon during summer to avoid the intense heat You’ll enjoy the stunning views of the Corinthian Gulf From the monastery’s balcony at an elevation of 730 meters the view is like one you would see from an airplane window the sunset from this spot is among the most outstanding in Greece it takes approximately an hour and a half to drive there A new railway line that connects the towns of Kiato Diakofto and Aigio in the northern Peloponese went into operation on Thursday the Ministry of Development & Investments announced The line includes three railway stations at Xylokastro undertaken by ErgOSE SA with a budget total of 848 million euros and co-financed by the EU's Cohesion Fund 2000-2006 and NSRF resources includes the construction of the second Corinth-Kiato railway line of 22.3 km as well as the construction of the new 70 km Kiato-Aigio line along with the construction of the railway stations and the relevant telecommunications infrastructures opinion pieces and current events straight to your inbox.