Europe continues to battle wildfires amid record-breaking heatwaves and droughts, with Athens the latest frontier in the fight, evacuating over 1,000 people, including more than 250 rescued by boats from beaches. Two helicopter pilots were killed in a fire operation collision, as at least 12,000 hectares of forest and agricultural land have burned.
Elsewhere in Greece dozens of fires a day are burning, destroying 6,000 hectares on the islands of Crete and Paros, and pushing firefighters “to their limits” Greece’s Civil Protection Minister Evangelos Tournas said on Saturday.
Residents and visitors to Greece should be aware that wildfire conditions have been particularly severe near Athens in the Attica, Boeotia and Fokida areas, with Voiotia and the island of Evia on maximum fire alert too.
Ionian island Cephalonia is also struggling to contain blazes. On the Gulf of Corinth, residents were evacuated from the ancient fortress town of Porto Germeno and other villages, where, reports say, 10,000 hectares including homes and vehicles have been destroyed.
Two Greek firefighting helicopters collided in midair on Sunday as they were battling a wind-driven wildfire west of Athens, sending one aircraft crashing to the ground, footage showed.
— Abhijit Pathak (@aajtakabhijit) August 2, 2026
Two crew members died in the crash. pic.twitter.com/drWhss4fk3
Travel advice for Greece from the United Kingdom Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) warns of “a high risk of wildfires during the summer season from April to October. Ensure that your mobile phone is registered to receive emergency alerts to be warned of wildfires near your location.”
The notice continues: “Wildfires are highly dangerous and unpredictable. The situation can change quickly.” It goes on to provide advice on how to avoid starting fires, by avoiding littering, particularly glass and cigarettes, and refraining from barbecues.
It warns that “Causing a wildfire or a forest fire is a criminal offence in Greece – even if unintentional.” Anyone who sees a fire and is in immediate danger, should call the emergency services on 112. The FCDO urges caution in areas in or near wildfire zones, and suggests affected people follow @112Greece for official updates, comply with emergency service instructions, and contact their airline or travel operator for assistance with return travel to the UK.
France
France meanwhile has lost 63,000 hectares of forest and agricultural land since the beginning of July, with two thirds of that land taken by an inferno in the Gironde region that is known to have devastated 240 homes. 12,000 people of 220,000 evacuees are still unable to return to their residences. While things are returning to “a more stable situation,” according to Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, the damage extends across 420 square kilometres, and a fire in the southeastern Var region is barely contained and remains “extremely precarious,” authorities say.
Visitors to France should remain alert to fire warnings and instructions and be aware that some areas remain inaccessible. They should also be aware that road closures can occur during quickly changing conditions. The FCDO advice for France notes an April-October wildfire risk that is “highest in the south of the country, particularly along the Mediterranean coast, in Corsica, and in areas of the south-west during periods of hot, dry weather.”
Spain
In Spain, between January and August 2026, 186,544 hectares of forest were burnt in data from the Ministry for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge shows. The southwest European country has lifted a state of emergency declared at the end of July, but is fighting fires still in Zamora, northeast Spain, and in León, after a flare up in San Tirso.
Evacuations have taken place in Veguellina, Valdelaloba, and in Cáceres, and in Castellón, a week-long fire in Vall d’Uixó burned 9,568 hectares and saw residents evacuated.
Across the region, the European Forest Fire Information System said the risk of wildfire remains high into the first week of August, including in northern countries, such as the UK and Denmark.
