A large wildfire burned through homes and forced evacuations in a seaside town south of Athens on Friday, as Greek authorities placed much of the country on high alert for what they warn is an “explosive” combination of heatwave temperatures and high winds.
Hundreds of firefighters, supported by nearly two dozen water-dropping aircraft, battled the blaze that tore across the coastal area of Palaia Fokaia in the Attica region.
Strong, erratic winds fanned the flames through residential areas, sending thick plumes of smoke across the Saronic Gulf and forcing police to shut down sections of the main coastal highway.
“We’re telling people to leave their homes,” a local official told Greek state television as the fire advanced.
The coast guard dispatched patrol boats and private vessels to the area in case a larger evacuation by sea became necessary.
The fire erupted as Greece entered a critical 48-hour period of extreme fire danger.
The Ministry for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, led by Minister Giannis Kefalogiannis, has placed the fire service on its highest level of alert and ordered a ban on public access to forests and parks in the highest-risk regions, which include Attica, the Peloponnese, and numerous Aegean islands.
The emergency measures come as a severe heatwave grips the country, with temperatures forecast to exceed 40°C (104°F) in some areas.
The heat, combined with dry conditions and the forecast of strong winds through the weekend, creates a volatile mix that can turn small fires into uncontrollable infernos.
Scarred by devastating and often deadly fires in recent summers, the Greek government is scrambling to prevent a repeat as the country confronts the first major test of the 2025 fire season.