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Europe's wildfire emergency continued to unfold on sharply different fronts on Sunday, with Greece battling rapidly spreading fires near Athens, France
working to prevent its largest blaze from reigniting, and Spain reporting that its major wildfires had stopped advancing. Authorities across southern Europe remained on high alert after weeks of extreme heat, drought and strong winds that have fuelled one of the continent's most severe wildfire seasons. Greece Orders Fresh Evacuations Near Athens The most immediate threat remained in Greece, where powerful winds pushed flames deeper into western Attica, threatening communities near Megara and hampering firefighting efforts. Nearly 500 firefighters, supported by 23 aircraft, were deployed to tackle the blaze. However, gale-force winds not only spread the fire through dry forests but also prevented some aircraft from collecting water from the sea. Smoke billowed across the mountains as evacuation orders were issued for the communities of Kandili, Agia Skepi and Toutouli. Authorities were also closely monitoring Porto Germeno, a seaside town on the Gulf of Corinth.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis was briefed on the firefighting operation.
The wildfire began on Friday near Agios Vasileios before spreading towards Porto Germeno and into the forested mountains west of Athens.
Emergency services evacuated 254 people by sea from Agios Vasileios on Friday and another 12 from Porto Germeno on Saturday after roads became inaccessible because of flames and heavy smoke.
Wildfire meteorologist Theodore Giannaros estimated on Saturday that the fire had burned between 40 and 50 sq km, although officials have not released an official figure. "A pristine forest, a paradise, was surrendered to the hands of the fire," local farmer Minas Tzortzanis said. "There are no words to explain what has happened. Destruction. Total destruction."
Elsewhere in Greece, fires threatened homes on the Ionian island of Kefalonia, prompting evacuations from several inland villages while firefighting aircraft carried out water drops.
On the mainland, almost 50 firefighters, supported by specialist wildfire units, 16 fire engines and a helicopter, were tackling another blaze near Nea Tenedos in Halkidiki.
The latest fires come days after two firefighters died battling a wildfire on Crete and another firefighter was killed in a separate blaze in the Peloponnese.
The situation has revived memories of Greece's deadliest wildfire in recent history, when 104 people died in Mati, east of Athens, in 2018.
France Keeps Massive Blaze Under Control
In southwestern France, the country's largest wildfire remained contained but continued to burn across an area of about 420 sq km — roughly four times the size of Paris.
The fire has forced about 224,000 people to evacuate, in what authorities believe may be France's largest civilian evacuation outside wartime.
Thousands of residents have yet to return home as nearly 3,000 firefighters continue battling hotspots in Gironde and a second major wildfire in Provence.
"The fire is now fixed, which does not mean that the fire is extinguished," the Gironde prefecture said, using French firefighting terminology to indicate that the fire's spread had been halted and its perimeter secured.
The region remains under France's highest red forest-fire alert because of high temperatures, dry conditions and forecast afternoon winds.
In Le Porge, one of the worst-affected communities, local authorities said around 150 homes had been destroyed.
"There are places I don't even recognize anymore," resident Matthieu Plessis said after returning to the remains of a home that had been in his family for seven generations. "You don't even know what was here anymore, or who lived where."
Additional firefighters from Ukraine, Lithuania and French Polynesia are expected to reinforce operations.
Provence Fire Stabilised
Further southeast, nearly 1,500 firefighters continued battling a separate wildfire in the Var department. Officials said the blaze in the Gros Bessillon hills had been stabilised after its perimeter did not expand overnight, although it has not yet been declared contained.
Aircraft continued supporting crews trying to prevent the fire from reaching villages surrounded by vineyards, olive groves and woodland.
Around 2,500 people were evacuated as the fire threatened nearby communities.
The blaze is the fourth major wildfire to hit central Var since 19 July.
Earlier this week, actor George Clooney and his family were among around 700 people evacuated from a separate nearby wildfire before it was brought under control.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said France's wildfires were generally under control but warned conditions could change rapidly.
He also announced that a national reconstruction coordinator would oversee recovery efforts in fire-affected areas.
More than 1,170 sq km has burned across France since the start of the year.
Spain Sees Signs of Relief
Spain reported that its major wildfires had stopped advancing after weeks of destructive fires that have claimed at least 13 lives and produced the country's largest wildfire on record. In Zamora province near the Portuguese border, more than 20 ground and aerial firefighting units remained deployed around the Fermoselle fire to monitor the perimeter and prevent flare-ups.
Most residents who had been evacuated have now returned home, according to local media.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has called for a national agreement on tackling wildfires, warning that climate change is making such disasters increasingly destructive.
