Wildfires lead to evacuation of popular Greek island

Dozens evacuated as flames engulf popular Greek island

190 firefighters and six aircrafts have been mobilised to try and contain the wildfires in the Peloponnese.

Their biggest objective right now is to prevent the flames from reaching residential areas, as well as the regions vital for mastiha production, a natural resin harvested from mastic trees.

However, due to the strong winds adding fuel to the fire, their efforts have been significantly slowed down, according to a Greek fire brigade official, per the Independent.

Dozens of villagers have already been forced to flee their homes due to the flames reaching forest and pasture land.

The fast-changing climate in recent years has caused frequent wildfires in Greece, causing it to suffer economic and environmental impacts.

Greece has spent millions of euros to compensate households for damage caused by extreme weather along with improved firefighting equipment to deal with the crises.

Not even last week, a wildfire in a dense forest area near Ano Souli, a village northeast of Athens, resulted in an evacuation as firefighters tried to keep the flames under control, per the Independent.

The Mediterranean is warming at a blistering pace, faster than the global average.

Earlier this year, Athens was reported the hottest capital in continental Europe. It experienced record temperatures in 2024, a situation that is very likely to become the new normal.

Greece remains a popular tourist hotspot, with authorities predicting a record 10 million visitors this year. And those arriving in July and August can expect even more extreme temperatures, according to the National Meteorological Service predictions.