Over the past two weeks, wildfires have surged across Greece as southern Europe grapples with intensifying heatwaves. On Aug. 3, hundreds of firefighters raced to contain a blaze advancing northwest of Athens.
Near the communities of Kandili and Agia Skepi, more than 400 firefighters and 21 aircraft were deployed to battle the flames. The fire tore through nearby pine forests and farmland, prompting evacuations by both land and sea, Reuters reported.
A Greek official said heavy machinery was used to dig firebreaks and prevent the flames from reaching homes. The wildfire, which broke out in western Attica, was driven toward the capital by strong, dry winds.
Wildfires have erupted across Europe throughout the summer of 2026 as intense heatwaves and prolonged dry conditions grip the continent. Although France and Spain have been hit particularly hard, firefighters were able to bring several major blazes under control relatively quickly.
Greece’s fire season had previously been comparatively “mild by local standards.” However, three firefighters were killed in separate incidents on July 29. Two died after becoming trapped between two fire fronts near the village of Krya Vrysi in Crete, while a third was killed in the Peloponnese region, a fire department spokesperson told Reuters.
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As strong winds drove the flames toward popular holiday destinations, residents and tourists in Krya Vrysi and surrounding villages had already been evacuated.
“The wind is unbelievable — you can’t stand sometimes. The flames were huge, it was really scary,” resident Chrissa Gioukaki said.
According to Deputy Climate Crisis Minister Kostas Katsafados, heavy winds have stopped water bombers from scooping up seawater, isolating firefighters on the ground.
The fires have already destroyed large areas of forest and burned olive groves just months before the annual harvest, dealing a serious blow to local households that depend on the crop.
“It’s an awful feeling, when you build something with so much effort, and when money is not easy to find,” Anastasia Hatzoglou told Reuters after losing her home and olive trees.
“It was so much effort, and when you put care into your property, your land, the oil that you make every year — it’s not great.”
CNBC published several photographs documenting the scale of the devastation unfolding across Greece.
Choppers on collision course
According to Al Jazeera, two firefighting helicopters collided in midair on Aug. 2 while battling a blaze near Athens. Footage showed one aircraft being pushed off course by strong winds before striking the other.
Both pilots were taken to hospital, where they were later pronounced dead.
“The pilots… were taken unconscious to hospital, where their death was confirmed,” the fire department’s director of communications, Vassilis Vathrakogiannis, said.
According to Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the two killed were a Dane and a Greek.
Two crew members aboard the second helicopter—a British pilot and a Greek crew member—were rescued safely, the BBC reported.
The Guardian wrote that both helicopters were leased from the Australia-based McDermott Aviation company, which has been supporting Greek operations for seven years.
Mitsotakis also warned of “extremely difficult” days as gusts of wind surpass 78 mph.
“When the winds blow with such force, even the dozens of aircraft we have at our disposal cannot operate safely,” Mitsotakis wrote on social media.
Island on fire
Among the hardest-hit areas were southern Crete and the town of Plomari on the island of Lesbos, Euronews reported.
A fire broke out near Krya Vrysi in the Rethymno region at about 2:30 p.m. on July 29, initially burning through low vegetation. Fanned by strong winds, the blaze quickly spread toward populated areas and tourist destinations along Crete’s southern coast. Two firefighters were killed while battling the flames.
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