An extensive wildfire in Keratea, southeast of Athens, resulted in one fatality, caused destruction to homes, and initiated evacuation alerts. An elderly man’s body was discovered by the fire service in Togani, near the fire’s origin. The fire erupted around 14:00 local time on Friday in the Manoutso area, initially affecting dry grass and plots. Greece has seen over 50 agricultural and forest fires within 24 hours, marking one of the summer’s worst days for wildfires.
The Keratea fire, fueled by winds reaching 8 Beaufort with gusts at 9, swiftly expanded, producing thick smoke and complicating firefighting efforts. Emergency messages via the 112 civil protection service urged numerous residents to evacuate. Police aided evacuations, successfully removing at least 10 unwilling residents. Seven areas, including Synterina, Dimolaki, Maliasteka, Agiasma, Charvalo, Drosia, and Ari, have been evacuated. The fire has severely affected Ari, traversing fields and advancing into residential areas. Roads have been disrupted.
Lavreotiki Mayor Dimitris Loukas described the blaze as “extremely difficult” to manage, noting its spread over seven kilometers. Evacuations are proceeding for all impacted areas as the fire moves south towards Drosia and enters a pine forest, with winds now directing it towards Anavyssos. Authorities caution that without containment, the fire could escalate.
A task force comprising 190 firefighters, seven ground teams, 44 vehicles, and the “Olympus” operations center is actively combating the fire, supported by 11 aircraft and seven helicopters. Additional resources include tankers, heavy machinery from Attica, and support from Czech and Romanian fire crews, alongside army engineering units.
Later Friday, a significant wildfire ignited in Helidoni, Ancient Olympia’s municipality. Officials highlight the peril from wind-carried embers, causing multiple spot fires near high-voltage power lines, prompting urgent preventive measures. The 112 civil protection service issued evacuation alerts for residents in Ilia’s Grammatikos, Lantzoi, Agios Georgios Lantzoïou, Pournari, and Irakleia, directing them towards Pyrgos.
Firefighting efforts in Grammatikos, Lantzoi, Helidoni, and Irakleia are intense, with strong winds posing a threat to Pelopio and the Ancient Olympia archaeological site. A trapped individual at Helidoni’s football ground received hospital treatment for severe arm burns. The scene is managed by 80 firefighters, three ground teams, 25 vehicles, and local authorities, with six aircraft and three helicopters providing aerial support. Authorities maintain that the threat of additional fires remains high, especially in Attica, the Peloponnese, and western Greece.