Greece continues to battle violent wildfires on Sunday, driven by strong winds that have caused significant damage and prompted evacuations.
Firefighters were engaged for a second consecutive day in the Peloponnese region, west of Athens, as well as on the islands of Euboea and Kythira, where aircraft resumed firefighting operations at dawn.
Wind conditions are expected to ease on Sunday in most areas, although meteorologists have warned that Kythira still faces “concerning” windy conditions. Evacuation alerts were sent to residents of Kythira, located southeast of the Peloponnese, early on Sunday.
“Homes, beehives, and olive trees have been burned,” Giorgos Komninos, Deputy Mayor of Kythira, told the public broadcaster ERT. “A monastery is currently at risk.” Dozens of firefighters, supported by three helicopters and two planes, are battling the Kythira fire, which ignited on Saturday morning and forced the evacuation of a popular tourist beach.
Greece has requested assistance from its European allies, with two Italian aircraft expected to arrive on Sunday. Firefighting units from the Czech Republic are already operational.
On the island of Euboea, near Athens, fires continue to rage, destroying thousands of hectares of forest and resulting in the loss of thousands of livestock as flames engulf scattered farms.
Two firefighting vehicles were destroyed, and five firefighters were hospitalised on Saturday. In Crete, firefighters are struggling to completely extinguish a blaze in Chania, which started on Saturday afternoon in the Temenia area of the Kantanos-Selino municipality.
According to the Athens News Agency, the fire there is reportedly under control after destroying four houses and a church, while also burning vehicles, olive groves, beehives, sheep, goats, and barns.
Greece has been enduring a heatwave for nearly a week, with temperatures exceeding 40°C in many areas. Temperatures are expected to decrease starting Monday.
