Two wildfires erupted on a Greek island, forcing urgent evacuations. Initial reports confirm two deaths while officials work to control the fires.
Foreign news agencies report that two nearly simultaneous wildfires broke out on Salamina Island, Greece, prompting authorities to rapidly evacuate residents from the danger zone. So far, two fatalities have been confirmed, and over 200 officials are working to contain the flames to prevent the two fires from merging.
Salamina Island was already under high wildfire risk on Sunday, 16 Aug 2025 GMT+7, due to intense heat affecting many parts of Europe. Officials received the first wildfire alert around 14:40 local time, with the fire spreading rapidly because of strong winds.
A spokesperson for the Coast Guard told Greece’s ERT television that about 90 people have been evacuated by sea. Five patrol boats were sent to Salamina, along with several private vessels assisting in the effort.
Additionally, multiple firefighting aircraft and 50 fire trucks have been deployed to combat the wildfires.
Thodoris Sannis, Deputy Mayor of Salamina Island, said firefighters are trying to prevent the wildfires from crossing the island's mountains and merging into one large blaze.
Salamina Island lies west of Athens and has a population of about 37,000, many of whom are elderly.
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Source:bbc