Wildfire on Outskirts of Athens Spreads ‘Like Lightning,’ Forces Hundreds to Flee

A rapidly moving wildfire that began on Sunday has continued to encroach on the Greek capital of Athens. Hot, windy weather fueled the blaze, forcing residents to flee their homes as it destroyed forested hillsides and properties just north of the ancient city.

More than 600 firefighters were battling the country’s most destructive wildfire this year, which started in the sparsely populated town of Varnavas, according to the Greek national fire service, as The New York Times reported.

Vassilis Kikilias, the country’s civil protection minister, said the inferno — which was producing flames more than 80 feet high — was “extremely dangerous” and had led to “dramatic conditions” for the firefighters.

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“It hurts, we have grown up in the forest, we feel great sadness and anger,” said 24-year-old Marina Kalogerakou, who covered her nose and mouth with a red bandana while dousing a burning tree stump with a bucket of water, as reported by Reuters.

Greece’s government solicited aid from other European Union member states as gale force winds pushed the fire through the tree-covered hills north of Athens.

In the outlying neighborhood of Penteli, residents tried using tree branches and hoses to put out patches of the fire as smoke covered the area.

On Monday, the coastal municipality of Nea Makri, the town of Marathonas and Grammatiko, a village north of Athens, were also affected.

“The wind would go in one direction and then in the other. The smoke was suffocating,” said Spyros Gorilas, a Dioni resident who drenched his home with water from a hose to save it, as The Associated Press reported. “Your eyes teared up. You couldn’t breathe. You couldn’t see the house.”

Officials said residents’ homes had been damaged by the massive fire, but did not specify how many.

By Monday, the raging wildfire had covered Athens with the smell of char, as it reached the suburb of Vrilissia, roughly eight miles from the capital.

A spokesperson for the fire service, Vassilios Vathrakogiannis, said that the wildfire had spread “like lightning,” though “superhuman efforts” had been made to contain it.

No deaths had been reported, but 13 people were treated for breathing issues, and two firefighters had been attended to for burns, said Vathrakohiannis.

According to government officials, evacuation orders were issued to residents of more than 25 areas, along with three hospitals, reported Reuters.

Power was shut off in parts of the region, and more than 250 people were evacuated, some spending the night in shelters.

“It’s a very large fire with very aggressive behaviour and many fronts. It’s very close to the city,” said Kostas Lagouvardos, Athens Observatory’s research director, as Reuters reported.

Wildfires have historically plagued Greece during the summer months, but they have become drier and hotter due to climate change, causing more intense fires to occur more often. 

The country had its warmest winter ever recorded and could likely have its hottest summer as well. The area where the current wildfire is burning — along with a large portion of the Mediterranean country — have not had much, if any, rain in months.

A fire alert is in effect until at least Thursday as forecast temperatures are expected to climb as high as 104 degrees Fahrenheit. The police, army and volunteers have been called on to assist with the blaze.