Two dead as wildfire on Greek island near Athens triggers sea evacuations
Two people have died after two fires broke out almost simultaneously on the Greek island of Salamina, near Athens, prompting an evacuation by sea and a large emergency response. The blazes began within minutes of each other on Sunday and spread quickly in strong winds, according to officials on the island. Firefighters were working to stop the flames from joining into one larger wildfire.
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The first fire was reported at 14:40 local time, or 12:40 GMT, and the island was under high wildfire risk at the time. Nearly 200 firefighters were deployed to the area, along with 50 fire engines and a number of aircraft. A coastguard spokesman said about 90 people had been evacuated by sea, while five patrol boats were sent to assist and other private vessels were being made available.
Salamina Deputy Mayor Thodoris Zannis said crews were trying to prevent the fires from crossing a mountain on the island and merging into a single major blaze. Salamina lies just west of Athens and has about 37,000 residents, many of them elderly, which adds to the challenge of moving people quickly in an emergency. The combination of fatalities, evacuations and a large-scale response has made the incident one of the most serious wildfire events reported on the island this summer.
The fires come during a period of heightened wildfire danger across parts of Europe, where hot weather and dry conditions have increased the strain on emergency services. In Greece, summer wildfires are a recurring threat, particularly when strong winds can turn separate outbreaks into fast-moving blazes. The situation on Salamina also highlights the difficulty of protecting island communities, where sea transport can become a key part of evacuation planning.
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Officials said the island was under high wildfire risk when the fires began, but it remains unclear what caused the two outbreaks. It is also not yet clear whether the blazes have been fully contained or whether further evacuations will be needed. Firefighters are still focused on preventing the fires from merging, while coastguard and air support remain in place.
The next developments to watch are whether the flames can be brought under control without further loss of life and whether investigators identify the cause of the fires. Authorities are also likely to assess the scale of damage on Salamina once the immediate danger has passed. For now, the priority remains containment, evacuation support and protecting residents in the affected areas.
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