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Time Magazine
2 days ago
- Climate
- Time Magazine
Firefighters In ‘Titanic Battle' As Wildfires Rage In Greece
Residents in suburbs of the Greek capital Athens were ordered to evacuate their homes as wildfires ravaged several parts of southern Europe over the weekend, including not only Greece but also Turkey, Bulgaria and Montenegro. According to government authorities in Greece, the country has quelled some of the fires—especially those nearing Athens—but firefighters were battling five major blazes on Sunday amid a severe heatwave. The extreme temperatures, which reached 44 degrees C (111F) on Sunday, are forecast to continue. 'The state mechanism was called to engage in a titanic battle, simultaneously responding to dozens of wildfires across the country. Today, the situation appears improved, but the fight continues with all available resources,' noted Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in a statement released Sunday morning, according to the Guardian. 'To those who saw their properties destroyed by the fury of the fire, know that the state will stand by your side.' Over 200 firefighters have been battling the blaze near Athens, supported by aircraft, where six firefighters have been hospitalized. There were also major fires on the islands of Kythira, Evia, and the holiday resort island, Crete. Greece has also officially requested the help of their European Union (EU) allies and though there are reports that the fires north of Athens have been quelled by Sunday, other fires in the Peloponnese area near Messinia are not yet contained. 'The situation in most areas of operations has improved at this time, after the firefighters' all-night battle,' stated fire department spokesperson Vasilios Vathrakoyannis. He noted 'active fronts' in Kythira and Polythea, Messinia, where helicopters, aircrafts, and dozens of firefighters are working to quell flames. He continued, 'We remind you that today is also expected to be a difficult day with a very high risk of fire, almost throughout the territory.' The Greek Ministry for Climate Crisis and Civil Protections shared that six regions are still at a 'very high fire risk' (risk category 4) for Monday, showing an improvement from Sunday's 11 regions with such a designation. The Associated Press also reported that flames have been blazing in Turkey for weeks now threaten the country's fourth-largest city, Bursa, as the forested mountains around the city became engulfed, forcing over 1,700 civilians to evacuate on Sunday. Orhan Saribal, a member of the Turkish Parliament wrote on social media that there are currently 3,000 fires blazing in over 50 places, and blaming the current Turkish government's response for the severity of the fires' impact. Earlier this month, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) shared that Western Europe was being influenced by a 'strong high-pressure system,' which traps dry air from northern Africa and leads to 'extreme' heat. The WMO added that this extreme heat would lead to elevated air pollution and wildfires—which has come to fruition this weekend. Europe had its hottest June on record this year. The fires come after the WMO confirmed in January that 2024 was the warmest year on record, based on six international datasets—the first calendar year in which the global mean temperature was 'more than 1.5°C above the 1850-1900 average.'
Newsweek
03-07-2025
- Newsweek
Greece Wildfires: More Than 5,000 Evacuated From Tourist Hotspot
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Thousands of tourists and residents have been evacuated in Athens and on the Greek island of Crete as fires burn across the country. Similar evacuations are taking place in neighboring Turkey, where at least two people have died in the fires. Newsweek has reached out to Greece's Ministry of Environment and Energy, Turkey's Ministry for Agriculture and Forestry, and Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management team for comment via email on Thursday. The Context Wildfires are common in the Mediterranean during summer months, but their frequency and intensity are increasing, largely as a result of climate change. The wildfire comes amid a scorching heatwave across Europe, which has left multiple people dead and hundreds hospitalized. Tourism and the hospitality industry play a crucial role in the economies of Greece and Turkey, providing jobs for millions. Crete is one of the country's most popular vacation destinations. Firefighters battle with a blaze in Ierapetra at the southern Greek island of Crete on July 3, 2025. A forest fire fanned by gale-force winds on the island led to the evacuation of locals and... Firefighters battle with a blaze in Ierapetra at the southern Greek island of Crete on July 3, 2025. A forest fire fanned by gale-force winds on the island led to the evacuation of locals and tourists, officials said on July 3, 2025. More COSTAS METAXAKIS/AFP via Getty Images What to Know About the Wildfires in Greece Hot and dry conditions have helped feed the wildfires in Greece, with blazes on Crete and other smaller fires not far outside Athens, including Rafina, a port east of Athens. More than 5,000 tourists, hotel workers and residents have been evacuated from the Ierapetra area on the southern coast of Crete, the Associated Press reported. Rugged terrain, arid conditions and strong winds have intensified the fire and helped it spread. The fire started Wednesday afternoon right outside Ierapetra, spreading extensively on Thursday, with more than 200 firefighters fighting the flames, along with 46 vehicles, 10 helicopters and several drones, the fire department's spokesperson, Chief Vasilios Vathrakoyannis, said in a statement Thursday. Tourists took buses across the island to hotels away from the flames, while officials in Ierapetra opened an indoor training center as a temporary shelter for others. A firefighting plane drops water as a wildfire burns in Rafina, east of Athens, Greece, on July 3, 2025. A firefighting plane drops water as a wildfire burns in Rafina, east of Athens, Greece, on July 3, 2025. AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris What to Know About the Wildfires in Turkey There is a fire not far from the popular vacation seaside destination of Izmir, and another in Cesme. They took the lives of two people, an 81-year-old and a person battling the flames. Agriculture Minister Ibrahim Yumakli confirmed on X, formerly Twitter, that forest worker İbrahim Demir was killed. Local reports and lawmakers said an elderly, bedridden man also died. A fire rages across a forest area in Cesme, near Izmir, Turkey, on July 3, 2025. A fire rages across a forest area in Cesme, near Izmir, Turkey, on July 3, 2025. Cengiz Malgir/Dia Photo via AP Roads between Izmir and Cesme were temporarily closed, reopening on Thursday evening. Videos of fire crews working day and night to contain the blazes have been shared by the Yumakli on social media. In a press conference on July 3, he said: "In the last week, we have brought 621 out of 624 fires under control. Today, we fought 9 major fires and brought 6 of them under control." Other fires have broken out near Antalya and Istanbul but were quickly contained. What People Are Saying Ibrahim Yumakli, Turkey's minister of agriculture and forestry, on X on Thursday: "Our forest worker İbrahim Demir was martyred while fighting to protect our green homeland in the fire in Ödemiş, İ the forest community and our nation find solace." A Greek fire brigade spokesperson, Vassilis Vathrakogiannis, on Thursday: "There are wind gusts in the area, some measuring nine on the Beaufort scale, triggering rekindling and hindering firefighting efforts." Nektarios Papadakis, a civil protection official at the regional authority, told the Associated Press: "It's a very difficult situation. The fire is very hard to contain. Right now, they cannot contain tourists who were moved out are all okay. They have been taken to an indoor basketball arena and hotels in other regions of the island."
CNN
03-07-2025
- Climate
- CNN
Wildfires are blazing through a Greek tourist hotspot, forcing mass evacuations
More than 200 firefighters are struggling to tackle an out-of-control wildfire on Crete — Greece's largest island and a tourist hotspot — as authorities order mass evacuations. The fire broke out Wednesday afternoon near Ierapetra, a town on the island's southeast coast, amid unusually high temperatures, 3 to 5 degrees Celsius (5.4 to 9 Fahrenheit) above average, and gale-force winds of around 50 miles an hour. The conditions are creating 'new outbreaks, making firefighting work very difficult,' the Fire Department's press spokesperson, Chief Vasilios Vathrakoyannis, said in a statement Thursday. More than 230 firefighters, along with 46 vehicles and 10 helicopters have been deployed to fight the blaze, according to fire officials. The flames have spread rapidly, reaching homes as well as hotels and other tourist accommodations. Authorities asked residents of four settlements to evacuate and move toward Ierapetra. About 1,500 people have been evacuated so far, according to the Greek public broadcaster ERT. The Ierapetra municipality has converted an indoor training center facility into a makeshift camp, where hundreds of tourists and residents who abandoned their homes spent the night Wednesday. The police, medical services and the coast guard have all been called to the area. 'We are entering the third and most difficult month of the fire season,' Vathrakoyannis said. July is typically the hottest month in Greece and is often accompanied by strong winds. 'These conditions favor the spread of fires and increase their danger,' he said. Wildfires have ripped through other European countries this week as the continent endures a brutal heat wave. Tens of thousands were evacuated in Turkey as blazes ripped through the western Izmir and Manisa provinces and southern Hatay province, damaging nearly 200 homes. Blazes also broke out in France and in Spain, where two people died. Europe experiences wildfires every year, but they are becoming more intense and frequent due to human-caused climate change, which fuels heat and drought, both helping set the stage for fierce, destructive fires.
CNN
03-07-2025
- Climate
- CNN
Wildfires are blazing through a Greek tourist hotspot, forcing mass evacuations
More than 200 firefighters are struggling to tackle an out-of-control wildfire on Crete — Greece's largest island and a tourist hotspot — as authorities order mass evacuations. The fire broke out Wednesday afternoon near Ierapetra, a town on the island's southeast coast, amid unusually high temperatures, 3 to 5 degrees Celsius (5.4 to 9 Fahrenheit) above average, and gale-force winds of around 50 miles an hour. The conditions are creating 'new outbreaks, making firefighting work very difficult,' the Fire Department's press spokesperson, Chief Vasilios Vathrakoyannis, said in a statement Thursday. More than 230 firefighters, along with 46 vehicles and 10 helicopters have been deployed to fight the blaze, according to fire officials. The flames have spread rapidly, reaching homes as well as hotels and other tourist accommodations. Authorities asked residents of four settlements to evacuate and move toward Ierapetra. About 1,500 people have been evacuated so far, according to the Greek public broadcaster ERT. The Ierapetra municipality has converted an indoor training center facility into a makeshift camp, where hundreds of tourists and residents who abandoned their homes spent the night Wednesday. The police, medical services and the coast guard have all been called to the area. 'We are entering the third and most difficult month of the fire season,' Vathrakoyannis said. July is typically the hottest month in Greece and is often accompanied by strong winds. 'These conditions favor the spread of fires and increase their danger,' he said. Wildfires have ripped through other European countries this week as the continent endures a brutal heat wave. Tens of thousands were evacuated in Turkey as blazes ripped through the western Izmir and Manisa provinces and southern Hatay province, damaging nearly 200 homes. Blazes also broke out in France and in Spain, where two people died. Europe experiences wildfires every year, but they are becoming more intense and frequent due to human-caused climate change, which fuels heat and drought, both helping set the stage for fierce, destructive fires.
The Irish Sun
03-07-2025
- The Irish Sun
Warning for Irish tourists as holiday island engulfed by raging wildfires & hotels evacuated by boats as blaze burns
THOUSANDS of tourists and locals have been evacuated from their homes and hotels as raging wildfires engulf a Greek holiday hotspot. Hundreds of fire crew rushed to the scene on Advertisement 7 Some 1,500 people have been evacuated as wildfires spread across Crete Credit: AP:Associated Press 7 The wildfire burns in the Ahlia area near the port town of Ierapetra Credit: EPA/NIKOS CHALKIADAKIS 7 Firefighters tackled rising flames as the wildfire burns near Ierapetra Credit: REUTERS/Stefanos Rapanis Some 160 firefighters with seven forest commando teams, 49 vehicles, an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle team and Volunteers are currently tackling the flames. And water tankers and construction machinery from the Region of Central Macedonia are providing assistance. The local Fire Department Operations Center confirmed the blaze broke out at noon yesterday in Vourvourou, Halkidiki. The fire department's spokesperson, Chief Vasilios Vathrakoyannis, said: "By order of Fire Chief Lieutenant General Theodoros Vagias, Arson Crime Response Teams have gone to Halkidiki and Ierapetra to investigate the causes of the fires. Advertisement READ MORE IN NEWS "We are entering the third and most difficult month of the fire season. "July is historically characterized as the hottest month accompanied by strong winds. "These conditions favor the spread of fires and increase their danger. "We remind you that the obligation of all of us to keep our land and uncovered areas of property clean significantly reduces the risk of fires." Advertisement MOST READ ON THE IRISH SUN Over 1,500 people fled the wild blaze and six people were hospitalised for breathing problems. Brutal Turkey fires spread fuelling travel chaos at tourist airports as 'petrol arsonist' arrested & 1,000 fight blazes Some 270 firefighters battled the blaze and were backed up by 10 water-dropping aircrafts. Evacuations were ordered at three sites outside the port of Ierapetra on the Despite the size of the wildfires there have been no immediate reports of serious injuries. Advertisement The authorities have put in place a series of safety measures on Santorini until November, including at the Old Port of Fira, the eastern part of the settlement of Armeni Oia and the Ammoudi Settlement. IRISH TOURIST ADVICE The Department of Foreign Affairs warned Irish tourists that the wildfire risk is "expected to intensify" over the next few weeks. They said: "Greece is currently facing several wildfires following high summer temperatures and subsequent heatwaves. "The risk of wildfires is expected to intensify in the coming weeks. Advertisement "In the case of a wildfire, the authorities will issue notifications regarding evacuations via the 112 message service to all mobile phones in the area. "These will be provided in both English and Greek, and we would ask citizens to follow any advice received from local authorities." PROPERTIES DESTROYED In the midst of a heatwave, properties and homes were destroyed as the inferno swept through hillside forests. The Advertisement And the blaze is now raging on three separate fronts - Ferma, Achlia and Schinokapsala. Five fire engines and crews arrived by boat after a C-130 military plane airlifted additional teams from Athens shortly after midnight. Authorities issued emergency warnings for villages including Agia Fotia, Galini, Ferma and Koutsounari. 7 Advertisement Dense black smoke spread across the sea near Makrys Gialos as the night sky turned orange. Holidaymakers were rescued from beaches by boat and others were removed from hotels. They were relocated to temporary shelters, including an indoor basketball arena in Ierapetra. Civil protection official Nektarios Papadakis said: "The tourists who were moved out are all okay. Advertisement 'They have been taken to an indoor basketball arena and hotels in other regions of the island.' SPRAWLING FLAMES Emergency services warned that the wildfire has sprawled to a length of at least 6km, making it more challenging for crews to tackle the blaze. In Agia Fotia, the area is in blackout from an ongoing power outage. Vice-prefect Yannis Androulakis told Advertisement He said: 'At the moment, there are three active fronts. Due to the strong winds, the fire has progressed quite rapidly.' A spokesman for the fire service, Vassilios Vathrakoyannis, said 270 firefighters, 10 helicopters and drones were deployed to tackle the blaze near the city of Ierapetra. He added: 'There are still a number of different fronts... The winds are very strong - up nine on the Beaufort scale.' An assessment of possible damage to infrastructure and homes will be carried out when the firefighting work is completed. Advertisement The fire in Vourvourou, Halkidiki, is currently without an active front and firefighters are carrying out waterlogging along its entire perimeter. 7 Tourists were evacuated from hotels in Ierapetra Credit: EPA/NIKOS CHALKIADAKIS 7 Fire crew battled strong winds while fighting the blaze Credit: Kostas Metaksakis/Anadolu via Getty Images 7 The wildfire in Crete has scorched forest land Credit: AP:Associated Press Advertisement
