Firefighting forces across Greece remain on high operational readiness as emergency officials brace for severe wildfire conditions nationwide, even as crews made significant progress in containing a major fire in Siviri, Halkidiki.
Halkidiki Fire Contained After Fearful Night.
The situation in Siviri has shown marked improvement, with emergency services reporting no active main front, though numerous scattered hot spots remain.
A total of 227 firefighters, 57 vehicles, 13 foot teams, six firefighting aircraft, and one helicopter have been deployed to the scene. Firefighting aircraft and helicopters resumed aerial drops at first light. Meanwhile, water supply in the area has been restored, and power is gradually being brought back online.
Vice Governor of Halkidiki Giannis Koufidis told AMNA that emergency responders successfully held the line overnight despite severe wind gusts.
“The truth is there was intense fear during the night that the fire would break out toward Fourka. It did not get away from us,” Koufidis said. “I believe it will take time until every small pocket is completely extinguished because there are so many, but we have passed the worst of it.”
Nationwide Alarm: Category 5 Fire Risk Issued
Despite the stabilization in Halkidiki, authorities warn that conditions across Greece remain critical. The General Secretariat for Civil Protection issued a Fire Risk Prediction Map placing several regions under an Extreme Fire Risk – Red Alert (Category 5):
- Attica Region
- Central Greece Region (Boeotia and Euboea)
- Peloponnese Region (Argolis and Corinthia)
Much of the rest of the country—including Halkidiki, Mount Athos, Crete, the Cyclades, the Ionian Islands, the Sporades, and parts of Western Greece, Thessaly, and Thrace—has been placed under Very High Risk (Category 4).
Unprecedented Readiness and Precautionary Measures
Speaking at an emergency briefing from the National Coordination Center for Operations and Crisis Management in Marousi, Fire Corps Strategic Planning and Communication Director Chief Fire Officer Vassilios Vathrakogiannis underscored the intensity of this summer’s fire season.
Since August 1st, more than 500 wildfires have broken out across the country, bringing the total since the start of the fire season to nearly 2,700.
In light of predicted strong to gale-force winds, Deputy Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Evangelos Tournas announced that emergency services will treat Category 4 (Very High Risk) regions with the same operational urgency as Category 5 (Red Alert) zones.
Operational measures include pre-positioned firefighting forces, mixed land patrols, drone monitoring, and continuous aerial surveillance using pre-loaded aircraft ready for immediate drop operations.
Related: Why Greece’s Forests Burn—and Why Wildfire Prevention May Matter More Than Ever
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