Greece Grapples with Over 50 Wildfires Fueled by Heatwave

(MENAFN) Firefighters in Greece faced a dire situation on Sunday as they worked to contain more than 50 wildfires sweeping across the country, fueled by an intensifying heatwave and powerful winds that have raised the fire threat level nationwide.

The most critical blaze broke out in a densely forested area of Argolida, located on the Peloponnese peninsula, posing serious challenges for both ground crews and firefighting aircraft. Earlier that day, authorities managed to contain large fires near the coastal resort town of Aliki in central Greece and on Evia island, which had rapidly spread through scrubland and came dangerously close to populated areas.

Several evacuation alerts were issued as a safety measure, according to the Fire Service.

Despite the alarming surge in fire activity—more than 1,000 wildfires have erupted since early June—no casualties have been reported. Costas Tsigkas, head of the Association of Greek Firefighter Officers, emphasized the escalating danger in an interview with a state broadcaster. People must be extremely careful, he remarked, warning that the combination of extreme heat and gusty winds creates conditions ripe for rapid fire spread.

Authorities revealed that since the fire season officially began on May 1, over 190 people have been arrested in connection with wildfire-related offenses. Of those, 125 were detained for negligence—primarily for risky activities such as burning vegetation or operating spark-emitting machinery, the Fire Service confirmed.

As forecasts predict temperatures soaring up to 42°C (107.6°F) by midweek, the National Meteorological Service has labeled the coming days as “critical.” In response, the Threat Evaluation Committee convened an emergency session on Sunday at the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection. Officials urged residents to avoid outdoor activities that might ignite fires and to adhere strictly to emergency guidelines.

Fire danger alerts have been extended across multiple regions as the extreme weather shows no sign of relenting.

Meanwhile, on the island of Crete, officials met with local leaders to coordinate relief operations following last week’s evacuation of over 5,000 residents and tourists due to a major wildfire. That incident was among the season’s most destructive, second only to a June blaze on Chios island that devastated 6,000 hectares.

So far this year, wildfires have scorched roughly 7,000 hectares of land across Greece, according to an expert from the National Observatory of Athens.

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