Two dead, hundreds evacuated from fires on island near Athens

ATHENS, Greece - Two individuals lost their lives and hundreds of residents were evacuated on Sunday as two wildfires ignited on the Greek island of Salamis near Athens, according to the fire department. A fire department spokesman confirmed that two bodies were recovered from Peristeria beach in the southern region of the island.

Hundreds of bathers and permanent residents were hastily evacuated following an order from the civil protection ministry. The ministry issued four evacuation orders in rapid succession as the fires emerged almost simultaneously in Peristeria and Selinia, two popular bathing spots on the island's southern and eastern coasts. Deemed a challenging fire occurring in an inhabited area, the deputy mayor of Salamina, Thodoris Zannis, informed local media that some roads remained accessible, and police were on duty to guide people to safety.

The fire service deployed a significant force comprising 200 firefighters, nearly 50 engines, six aircraft, and seven helicopters, with reinforcements arriving from the mainland. Greece's coastguard dispatched five patrol boats to the area, and numerous private vessels, including ferries, were made available. Moreover, two coastguard vessels were assisting in the operation.

Following a summer marred by heatwave temperatures that affected much of Europe, Greece has faced several major wildfires since late July, exacerbated by strong winds. As of the latest update, Greece had successfully contained a blaze on the Aegean island of Skyros, while 34 fires had broken out across the country in the previous 24 hours.

Regrettably, five firefighters have succumbed to their injuries, including a Danish pilot who perished in a mid-air collision between two Bell helicopters while combating a blaze near Athens earlier this month.