On Tuesday, the picturesque seaside town of Nea Makri in Greece faced a new evacuation alert as fierce wildfires continued to wreak havoc across the suburbs of Athens. This emergency measure underscores the severity of the situation, with a tragic death reported—officials discovered a body, believed to be a woman, inside a shop in Vrilissia, a northern suburb of Athens.
The scale of the crisis has led to the evacuation of thousands of residents. Firefighters have issued stern warnings about the imminent threat to homes, businesses, and schools. As dawn broke on Tuesday, the massive smoke cloud that had enveloped Athens began to dissipate, though the city’s skies remained hazy and foreboding. Helicopters, which had been grounded overnight for safety reasons, resumed their aerial efforts to combat the fires.
In neighborhoods around Athens, even those not directly impacted by the blaze have found themselves dealing with the fallout—literally. Ash has settled on balconies, a stark reminder of the fires' reach. Firefighters, described as "exhausted" by the BBC, are now focusing their efforts on hotspots rather than a single, unified fire front.
Fire service spokesman Colonel Vassilios Vathrakogiannis provided an update, explaining that while there is no longer a singular active fire front in the northeastern Attica region, which includes parts of Athens, numerous localized blazes are still burning fiercely. The most affected areas include the towns of Marathon and Penteli. The danger isn’t expected to subside immediately; conditions for new fires remain perilous not just on Tuesday but throughout the week.
The scale of the firefighting effort is immense. Over 700 firefighters, 199 fire engines, and 35 waterbombing aircraft are involved in the battle against the flames. The fires, which ignited on Sunday afternoon about 35 kilometers (22 miles) north of Athens, have become a major operation. Two firefighters have already been treated for burns sustained while battling the blazes.
On Monday, the fires erupted in 40 different locations, with some flames reaching heights of up to 25 meters (82 feet). The scale of the destruction is staggering—satellite images from Greece's National Observatory showed that by noon local time on Monday, the fire had already scorched around 100,000 acres (405 square kilometers; 156 square miles) of land.
In Penteli, a wooded and hilly area, the situation was dire. Three hospitals had to be evacuated, and there were fears for the safety of a National Observatory site. The blaze also engulfed a timber factory, with explosions—likely from fuel tanks and gas cylinders—echoing through the area. Despite the chaos, some brave residents of Penteli chose to stay and fight the flames themselves, using hoses and tree branches in a desperate bid to save their homes. Marina Kalogerakou, a 24-year-old resident, expressed her heartache and anger to Reuters as she poured water onto a burning tree stump, saying, "It hurts. We have grown up in the forest. We feel great sadness and anger."
Pantelis Kyriazis, another local, faced a tragic accident as he attempted to evacuate. "I couldn't see. I hit a pine tree and this is what happened," he said, pointing to his damaged car.
Further north, near the fire's epicenter, 81-year-old Vassilis Stroubelis stood in the doorway of his damaged home, reflecting on the devastation. "Thirty years I was building all this. Thirty years and bam," he lamented.
In response to the crisis, European nations have rallied to support Greece. The government has activated the EU's mutual civil protection mechanism, leading to assistance from several countries. Italy is contributing two planes, while France and Serbia are each providing a helicopter. Spain, the Czech Republic, and Romania are sending additional vehicles, personnel, and aid. Neighbouring Turkey is also preparing to deploy two planes and a helicopter, as announced by Foreign Minister Öncü Keçeli. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed solidarity with Greece on X (formerly Twitter), stating that the EU will "stand with Greece as it battles devastating fires."
This disaster occurs amid one of Greece's hottest summers on record. The country has experienced unprecedented heat in June and July, highlighting the increasing risk of wildfires. Climate change exacerbates these conditions, as global temperatures have already risen by about 1.1°C since the industrial era began. Without significant cuts to emissions, temperatures are expected to continue climbing, potentially leading to more frequent and severe wildfires.
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