Greece Seeks EU Aid as Wildfires Rage Amid Scorching Heatwave

AFP | Athens

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Greece has appealed for European Union assistance to combat a wave of wildfires that have erupted across multiple regions, as a searing heatwave pushes temperatures beyond 45°C and strong winds intensify the flames.

Fires have been reported near Athens, as well as on the Peloponnese peninsula and the islands of Crete, Euboea, and Kythera, according to Fire Brigade spokesman Yiannis Vathrakogiannis.

“The hard part is ahead of us,” he cautioned during a media briefing.

Red Alert Issued

Several regions have been placed under the highest wildfire alert — Red Category 5 — due to extremely hot and dry conditions.

“In the last 24 hours alone, 52 fires erupted, of which 44 were immediately brought under control,” Vathrakogiannis said.

Greece has activated the EU's RescEU mechanism, requesting six firefighting aircraft to support ongoing containment efforts. Czech firefighting units are already operating on the ground as part of the European response, local media confirmed.

Villages Evacuated

One of the most challenging fire fronts was just 30 kilometers north of Athens, where authorities ordered the evacuation of the village of Drosopigi. Several homes there were engulfed in flames as high winds drove the fire through residential areas.

Another front reached the nearby village of Kryoneri, where houses were also reported to be burning, municipal adviser Giannis Moniakis told the Athens-Macedonian News Agency.

As the nation braces for further extreme weather, firefighters continue to battle the blazes with support from EU partners expected to arrive soon.