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20 June 2025
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Major fire breaks out near Athens - tourists are evacuated
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A major fire has broken out in the south-east of Athens. Numerous vacation homes have been destroyed down to their foundations and a large bush and forest area is on fire. "Right now, strong land and air forces are fighting a huge battle against the flames, mainly among homes," fire department spokesman Col. Vassilis Vathrakogiannis said. He added that 12 water-dropping planes and 12 helicopters were providing air support to 80 fire engines and 130 firefighters, who were backed up by volunteer firefighters.
Strong winds are fanning the flames. The civil protection service sent a text message asking residents to leave the affected region of Palaia Fokaia, which is located on the coast around 60 kilometres southeast of the Greek capital. The region is mainly home to vacation homes, many of which belong to residents of Athens.
Holidaymakers had to be evacuated to safety
Eleven tourists from a vacation home in the affected region were brought to safety in good time by the police, Greek radio reported. According to information from fire department circles, hotel facilities were not initially threatened by the flames.
Temperatures of around 40 degrees are prevailing in large parts of Greece. In addition, winds of force six with strong gusts are blowing in places. The civil defence warns again and again: The combination of drought, heat and winds can turn the smallest flame into a major fire within minutes.
The cause of the fire is still unclear. A fire department spokesman said an arson investigation unit had been sent to the area.
Source: Reuters, Associated Press, Blue News, Deutche Welle
Strong winds are fanning the flames. The civil protection service sent a text message asking residents to leave the affected region of Palaia Fokaia, which is located on the coast around 60 kilometres southeast of the Greek capital. The region is mainly home to vacation homes, many of which belong to residents of Athens.
Holidaymakers had to be evacuated to safety
Eleven tourists from a vacation home in the affected region were brought to safety in good time by the police, Greek radio reported. According to information from fire department circles, hotel facilities were not initially threatened by the flames.
Temperatures of around 40 degrees are prevailing in large parts of Greece. In addition, winds of force six with strong gusts are blowing in places. The civil defence warns again and again: The combination of drought, heat and winds can turn the smallest flame into a major fire within minutes.
The cause of the fire is still unclear. A fire department spokesman said an arson investigation unit had been sent to the area.
Source: Reuters, Associated Press, Blue News, Deutche Welle
