Several towns were evacuated due to the advancing flame front (archive image).Image: Shutterstock
July 29, 2026, 05:55July 29, 2026, 05:55
On the Greek Aegean island of Paros, which is popular with holidaymakers, firefighters have been battling a large forest fire for hours. Several towns were evacuated due to the advancing flames, and according to media reports, residents were told to flee to the beaches at the behest of rescue workers.
According to the newspaper “Proto Thema”, the fire brigade on the Cyclades island has been in constant use since Tuesday with dozens of personnel and has requested support from surrounding islands such as Naxos and Syros as well as from the mainland. The town of Agkairia in particular is threatened by the flames, it was said. Flights with firefighting planes and helicopters were therefore interrupted overnight, but should be resumed at daybreak. The extinguishing work would be made more difficult by strong winds, which, according to meteorologists, are likely to become even stronger today.
Previous fire disasters have been a lesson
So far this year, Greece has been largely spared from heat waves. In recent years there have been such waves – and they sometimes lasted for weeks. Drought and strong winds then created perfect conditions for serious forest fires.
The Greeks have learned lessons from the devastating fires of recent years. In addition to 85 state-run firefighting aircraft, the fire department now has 18,000 professional and seasonal employees. The use of modern technology is also important: more than 100 drone bases in particularly vulnerable regions now support the early detection of fires. In addition, four satellites specially developed for firefighting were launched to observe particularly dry regions.
According to the newspaper Kathimerini, there is a high risk of forest fires in several parts of the country. The fire brigade also went out to fires in the northeastern Evros region on Tuesday. Warning level four out of five now applies on Crete and the islands of Lesbos, Chios, Samos, Ikaria and Psara. Warning level three applies in the capital region of Athens and in the northeastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. (sda/dpa)