A wildfire raging through a dense forest near Ano Souli, a village northeast of Athens, has prompted evacuation orders as dozens of Greek firefighters battle to bring the blaze under control.
Around 120 firefighters, supported by 17 aircraft and 30 engines, have been deployed to the village, which is located approximately 25 miles from the Greek capital. Authorities have urged residents of Ano Souli and the nearby town of Marathonas to evacuate their homes as the fire continues to spread.
Sitting at Europe’s hot southernmost tip, Greece has felt the economic and environmental impact of frequent wildfires and floods in recent years that scientists say has been exacerbated by a fast-changing climate.
The country has spent hundreds of millions of euros to compensate households and farmers for damage related to extreme weather and acquire new and modern firefighting equipment to deal with wildfires, which have become harder to tame amid rising summer temperatures.
A map of Ano Souli:
Earlier this year it was reported that Athens is the hottest capital in continental Europe. It saw record temperatures in 2024, a situation that is becoming the new normal. The Mediterranean as a whole is warming faster than the global average.
With travel booming to Greece, authorities predict Athens will welcome a record 10 million visitors this year. Those arriving in July and August will face even more extreme temperatures, the national meteorological service predicts, creating a perfect combination of tourism and scorching weather.
Greece has hired a record number of firefighters this year in anticipation of a difficult fire season. The government is planning to deploy a record number of firefighters this year – around 18,000 from 15,500 in 2022 – backed by volunteers. It will spend around 2 billion euros on new aircraft and will use nearly twice as many thermal camera drones to catch fires early.
One of Europe’s largest wildfires on record burnt for weeks in northern Greece in 2023, killing at least 20 people. Last year a destructive wildfire barreled down from a mountain to built-up areas on the edge of Athens, forcing residents to flee.
