Greece largest forest fires in 2024 reached the outskirts of Athens

Nearly 700 firefighters, supported by volunteers, 190 fire engines, and 33 water-bombing aircraft, are fighting this week to contain the massive wildfire that started  at 3 p.m. local time on Sunday near Varnavas, 35 kilometers north of Athens.

UPDATED August 14

By Monday, the fire—already the most severe in Greece this year—had advanced to the edges of Athens' densely populated northern suburbs, encroaching on the heavily wooded Mount Penteli, the CBC reports. 

One person has died so far, and thousands have been evacuated in the forest fire, which by Wednesday had subsided somewhat. 

The wildfire scorched 40 square miles of land northeast of Athens l this week, coming dangerously close to the city center, the Independent UK reports. 

Turkey, France, Italy, Spain, and the Czech Republic have announced that they are sending aid to Greece. All are sending planes and helicopters, while the Czech Republic is also providing 75 firefighters, according to CNN Greece.

Two firefighters have sustained minor injuries, and several civilians are being treated in hospitals after inhaling smoke, according to the Associated Press.

On Wednesday, three days after the inferno first erupted, most of the major fire fronts had subsided. However, officials urged caution, warning that firefighters were still contending with sporadic flare-ups across the area.

Greece has recently imposed stricter penalties for arson. This season so far the country has faced over 3,500 fires since May. This is an increase compared to the same period in 2023, when 2,300 fires were recorded.

The next few days are expected to be hot again, and Greek authorities are on high alerts for new flare ups.  

Original text from Sunday August 11th: 

On Sunday, residents scrambled to escape as a rapidly advancing wildfire near Athens, driven by hot and windy conditions, tore through trees, homes, and vehicles, casting a thick pall of smoke. 

Two large forest fires erupted on Sunday afternoon near Athens, Greece, the Greek Reporter writes.  

The first blaze ignited in the Varnavas area, rapidly spreading through farmland and woodland. Due to the fire's proximity to urban areas, an evacuation order was swiftly issued for the entire region.

Greece’s European Emergency 112 service sent out an alert to all residents and visitors in Barnabas, instructing them to evacuate immediately and head towards Grammatiko or Kapandriti for safety.

As the day progressed and the fire intensified, evacuation orders were extended to include the residents of Stamata, Grammatiko, Amygdaleza, Rodopolis, and Mikrochori, as the situation continued to spiral out of control.

Over 400 firefighters, supported by 16 water-dropping planes and 13 helicopters, fought to control the blaze that ignited around 3 p.m. (midday GMT) and swiftly engulfed the village of Varnavas, located 35 kilometers (20 miles) north of Athens, Reuters reports.  

As night descended, the aerial firefighting efforts were halted until morning. The 15 firefighting planes and nine helicopters were operating by late afternoon but stopped at sunset, AP reports. 

"The situation remains dangerous as the fire is spreading between residences," said Vassilis Vathrakogiannis, spokesperson for the fire brigade. He described how the flames, driven by gale-force winds, surged forward “like lightning,” reaching heights of 25 meters / 80 feet. 

Varnavas, a small village with approximately 1,800 residents, found itself encircled by the fire in a matter of moments. "The village was surrounded in no time, in no time. It's really windy," recounted resident Katerina Fylaktou. “It started from one point and suddenly the whole village was surrounded,” she told Reuters.

Residents of Athens were advised to stay indoors with windows and doors closed due to the thick smoke. 

While firefighters managed to bring a blaze in western Attica under control, a second fire northeast of Athens continued to rage out of control. By nightfall, the inferno was reportedly racing eastward, with efforts by water-dropping planes hampered by powerful winds, The Guardian reports. 

At least 10 communities surrounding Varnava were evacuated, and firefighters were expected to battle the flames throughout the night. Some residents reportedly took matters into their own hands, desperately trying to save their homes by dousing the encroaching flames with whatever means they had.

Authorities also ordered the evacuation of residents in the historic town of Marathon, located 40 kilometers east of Athens, directing them to the beach town of Nea Makri as a precaution against a fire that had been burning since Sunday afternoon.

Greek authorities have warned people to stay indoors with their “windows closed” as more than 400 firefighters battled to contain fires on the outskirts of Athens that were forcing the evacuation of entire communities, including at the historic site of Marathon.

Huge clouds of billowing smoke had by mid-afternoon on Sunday darkened the skies above the capital as 10 groups of “forest commandos” backed by water-bombing aircraft, helicopters and fire engines tried to douse flames fanned by gale-force winds of up to 80-90km/h on Sunday.

Later in the afternoon, evacuation alerts were also issued to residents in several northern suburbs of Athens. Police reported evacuating more than 200 people, primarily elderly individuals and others who had not responded to the initial warnings.

At least eight people were taken to hospital with respiratory problems.

Temperatures in the area remain high. Temperatures in Greece are expected to soar to a peak of 39°C (102°F) on Monday, with the hottest conditions anticipated in the western regions of the country.

Several regions across Greece remained on high alert for fire risks on Sunday and Monday. 

Already on Saturday, Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Vassilis Kikilias called for emergency measures, involving the army, police, and volunteers, to combat forest fires until August 15.

“Extremely high temperatures and dangerous weather conditions will prevail,” he cautioned. “Half of Greece will be in the red.”

A European Commission report from April noted that the 2023 wildfire season in Europe has been among the worst of the century.

Photo Credit: A forest fire near Athens observed from a distance. Photo by Zisoula Ntasiou / CTIF.