Greek authorities have conceded that firefighters are losing the battle against a massive wildfire raging northeast of Athens, as the blaze claims its first confirmed fatalities. At least two people are reported dead, with dozens injured, as the fire, fanned by gale-force winds, sweeps through the residential outskirts of the capital. The European Union’s civil protection mechanism has been activated, but resources are critically stretched across the bloc, which has faced a series of extreme weather events this summer.
The fire, which began on Monday afternoon, has burned through an estimated 10,000 hectares of pine forest and scrubland, threatening homes and critical infrastructure. Evacuation orders have been issued for several suburbs, including Nea Makri and Rafina, where residents were seen fleeing on foot and by car as flames approached. The Greek fire service described the situation as exceptionally dangerous, with firefighting aircraft unable to operate in high winds at night.
Greece has requested assistance from the EU’s emergency response coordination centre, which has deployed firefighting aircraft from Italy, France, and Spain. However, EU officials admit that resources are limited, with simultaneous wildfires burning in Portugal, Spain, and parts of southern France. The European Commission’s Director-General for Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection highlighted that the bloc’s firefighting fleet is at near capacity, leaving little reserve for new outbreaks.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has cut short a visit to Cyprus and is returning to Athens to oversee the crisis response. In a televised address, he warned that the coming days would remain difficult, with weather forecasts predicting continued high temperatures and strong winds. “We are facing an exceptional fire season, and our civil protection forces are exhausted,” he said.
The wildfire is the latest in a series of extreme weather events across Europe, which scientists link to climate change. The EU has been criticised for its slow response to the escalating threat, with some member states calling for a permanent, dedicated European firefighting force rather than the current ad hoc pooling of national assets. Internal EU documents seen by this correspondent suggest that the bloc’s civil protection mechanism has been activated 12 times this summer, a record high.
International assistance has also been offered by Israel and Turkey, though diplomatic tensions have complicated coordination. Turkey’s offer of two firefighting aircraft has been accepted by Athens, marking a rare instance of cooperation between the two neighbours.
On the ground, the fire has jumped a major highway, the Attiki Odos, forcing closures and disrupting traffic. The smoke plume is visible from space, with satellite imagery showing it drifting across the Aegean Sea towards Turkey. Air quality in Athens has deteriorated, with authorities advising residents to wear masks and stay indoors.
The Greek government has pledged to expedite compensation for those who lost property, but the immediate priority remains containment. Firefighters are now focusing on protecting the town of Marathon, a historic site, and the nearby Nea Makri refugee camp, where thousands of asylum seekers are housed. The camp has been evacuated, with residents relocated to temporary shelters in Athens.
The tragedy highlights the mounting pressure on EU civil protection mechanisms, which were not designed for concurrent, large-scale emergencies. As the fire season lengthens and intensifies, calls for a more robust, permanent EU-wide firefighting capacity are growing louder. But with political divisions over funding and sovereignty, the road to such a mechanism remains fraught.
