{
  "id": 83898,
  "title": "Greece wildfire in pictures: Firefighters battle blaze worsened by 100km per hour winds",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/03/greece-wildfire-in-pictures-firefighters-battle-blaze-worsened-by-83898",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-03T12:11:05.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "CNBC World",
    "slug": "cnbc-world",
    "url": "https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/03/greece-wildfire-pictures-winds-heatwave.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Greece is currently experiencing its second week of wildfires, exacerbated by extreme winds and heatwaves across Southern Europe. The blaze, originating in Western Attica near Athens, has been particularly intense due to Greece's notorious Meltemi winds, which typically blow in the region during July and August. Wind speeds have reached alarming levels of 80 to 100 kilometers per hour, according to multiple sources. Tragically, two firefighters - one Danish and one Greek - lost their lives after two helicopters collided in the Western Athens region on Sunday. Remarkably, two firefighters aboard the second helicopter survived the crash, landing safely in an emergency situation and are now receiving medical attention. As the winds gradually subsided on Monday, water-bombing aircraft returned to the skies to continue the challenging task of battling the flames. In a separate but related incident, a monstrous wildfire erupted in France's Bordeaux region late last July, subsequently spreading to parts of Spain. Together, the fires have scorched hundreds of thousands of acres across both nations. The situation has been labeled as \"unprecedented\" and \"historic,\" prompting the largest evacuation in French history.",
  "summary": "Greece is in its second week of battling wildfires, which have been exacerbated by extreme winds. The fires, located in Western Attica near Athens, have been fueled by gusty, dry winds known as Meltemi, reaching speeds of 80 to 100 km per hour, according to CNBC.\n\nThe wildfires have resulted in fatalities, including two firefighters, a Danish pilot, and a Greek fire service official, who died when two helicopters collided in the Western Athens region on Sunday. Two other firefighters from the second helicopter survived and are in the hospital.\n\nAs winds eased on Monday, water-bombing aircraft were deployed to continue fighting the flames. The broader Athens region of Attica remains at high risk for wildfires due to a forecast increase in temperatures, as warned by authorities, Euronews reported.",
  "key_points": [
    "Greece battling intense wildfire with 100km/h winds",
    "Two firefighters killed in helicopter collision",
    "Evacuation declared as fires spread across countries"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": "https://urgent.news/ill/83898.png",
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "CNBC",
        "title": "Greece wildfire in pictures: Firefighters battle blaze worsened by 100km per hour winds",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/03/greece-wildfire-in-pictures-firefighters-battle-blaze-worsened-by",
        "published": "2026-08-03T12:11:05.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Channel News Asia",
        "title": "Wildfire flares up again in Greece as water bombers deployed",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/03/wildfire-flares-up-again-in-greece-as-water-bombers-deployed",
        "published": "2026-08-03T20:50:44.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}