Authorities in Greece ordered residents of two villages in the central part of the country to leave their homes Wednesday as a massive wildfire raged through the area — coming just one day after a forest fire in northern Greece claimed the lives of a father and his 12-year-old son.
Firefighters confirmed Wednesday that a body discovered inside a home destroyed by the previous day’s blaze was that of the young boy. His father had already been found dead Tuesday outside the same property, which was located in a wooded area northeast of the northern city of Thessaloniki. The children’s mother survived the fire but sustained burns and is currently receiving hospital treatment.
The Wednesday wildfire was tearing through both forested land and farmland in the central Greek region of Fthiotida, according to the fire department. A massive response was mounted, including 19 water-dropping planes, six helicopters, and 135 firefighters working alongside volunteers and specialized forest fire units.
Three additional wildfires ignited across Greece on Wednesday — one in the northern region of Halkidiki, another on the island of Salamina near the nation’s capital, and a third in the country’s south. Fire officials said all three were brought under control quickly.
Greece regularly contends with wildfires during its hot, dry summer months, though the country has so far avoided the intense heatwaves that have gripped much of western Europe in recent weeks.
The nation has a painful history with such disasters. In 2018, a fire east of Athens killed more than 100 people. In 2023, a massive blaze that swept through a remote nature reserve in northeastern Greece became the largest wildfire ever documented in the European Union.
In response to the growing threat — worsened by climate change — Greece has been ramping up its use of technology. The country is now integrating a dedicated group of four satellites, launched into low orbit this past May, that will be used to detect and monitor wildfires.
