Residents fled their homes on Sunday as a fast-moving wildfire, driven by hot and windy weather, tore through areas outside Athens. The fire, which began, quickly spread to the village of Varnavas, located 35 km (20 miles) north of the Greek capital.
More than 400 firefighters, along with 16 waterbombing planes and 13 helicopters, were deployed to fight the blaze. However, as night fell, firefighting aircraft operations were halted until morning, leaving the sky illuminated by the orange glow of the flames. Varnavas, a sparsely populated area with approximately 1,800 residents, was quickly surrounded by the fire.
Fire brigade spokesperson described the situation as dangerous, noting that the fire was spreading rapidly between homes. The blaze, fueled by winds, moved with alarming speed, with flames reaching heights of 25 meters, consuming trees and shrubland.
Since May, Greece has experienced hundreds of wildfires, with scientists linking their frequency and intensity to increasingly hot and dry conditions brought on by climate change. After its warmest winter on record, with little to no rainfall, Greece recorded its hottest June and July, and is forecasted to have its hottest summer ever.
Kostas Lagouvardos, research director at the Athens Observatory, warned of a challenging week ahead, expressing concern that if the Varnavas fire is not contained overnight, the situation could worsen. Fires have also been burning this summer in other parts of Europe, including Spain and the Balkans, amid extreme heat.
Evacuation alerts were sent out to residents in nine areas surrounding Varnavas. By early evening, thick brown smoke covered much of Athens and extended to the island of Aegina to the south. Another fire near the town of Megara, west of Athens, was brought under control by Sunday afternoon, according to the fire brigade.
Many regions throughout Greece were put on high alert for potential fire risks over Sunday and Monday. Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Vassilis Kikilias called for emergency measures involving the army, police, and volunteers to combat forest fires until August 15, citing extremely high temperatures and dangerous weather conditions.
