Greek authorities order partial evacuation of Athens suburb due to wildfire

Greek civil protection authorities have ordered a partial evacuation of Haidari, a suburb west of Athens, as a wildfire spreads rapidly through a forested area. The blaze, which ignited shortly after 4 p.m. local time in Aspropyrgos, is being battled by a large contingent of firefighters.

Strong winds are significantly complicating efforts to contain the fires, particularly aerial firefighting operations, which are limited. The challenging weather conditions are exacerbating the situation across several regions of Greece.

Elsewhere, a critical situation is unfolding about 60 kilometers northwest of Athens in Agios Vasilios, where hundreds of residents had to be evacuated by boat as flames surrounded their homes. Another major fire is burning on the Peloponnese peninsula near Porto Heli, leading authorities to preemptively order the evacuation of several villages in the area.

In response to the advancing flames, the UNESCO World Heritage site of Mycenae and the nearby ancient sanctuary of Heraion of Argos have also been evacuated as a precautionary measure. The Greek fire service reported that the strong winds are making aerial suppression difficult, with planes and helicopters operating under severe restrictions.

Further complicating the response, a separate fire is burning on the island of Crete, where similar strong winds are hindering firefighting efforts. The combination of dry conditions and high winds has created a volatile environment, posing a significant challenge to emergency services across the country.