Greece battles new wildfire near Athens driven by strong winds

A new wildfire erupted in Greece on Monday morning, southeast of the capital city Athens, fueled by winds exceeding 70 kilometres per hour, according to firefighters. A team of 172 firefighters and approximately 40 vehicles were mobilized to combat the blaze in Kouvaras, situated 60 km southeast of Athens in the Attica region, the fire service reported on X. Additionally, two water-bombing aircraft and four helicopters are assisting in the operation, the service further explained.

Authorities have instructed the village of Agios Stylianos, located near Kouvaras, to evacuate. This incident marks the second fire near Athens this summer, following a previous blaze that occurred 10 days ago northwest of the Greek capital, which ravaged over 11,000 hectares of pine forests and farmland. Due to gusts reaching up to 130 km/h, it took five days to bring the earlier fire under control. Tragically, two helicopter crew members lost their lives after colliding with another helicopter while battling the flames.

Greece, like much of the Mediterranean, has witnessed a rise in the frequency and intensity of wildfires, a trend scientists attribute to climate change. The nation remains on extreme alert, with several regions classified as being at a very high fire risk. Experts have raised concerns about the growing severity of the fires impacting Attica, where Athens is located. Between 2017 and 2026, 42% of the total forest area in the region was consumed by 15 major fires.