Greek Firefighters Reach “Maximum Capacity” as Wildfires Burn Over 10,000 Hectares Near Porto Germino

Greek authorities confirmed that wildfires raging near the coastal village of Porto Germino—located approximately 70 kilometres northwest of Athens—have consumed over 10,000 hectares, according to Theodoros Giannaros, wildfire meteorology expert and senior researcher at the National Observatory of Climate. His assessment, significantly higher than earlier figures, represents nearly double the original estimate issued by the same observatory.

Escalating Damage Across Multiple Regions

The National Observatory of Climate reported that separate fires in the Gulf of Corinth alone destroyed more than 6,500 hectares, sweeping through the well-known seaside village of Porto Germino. Evacuations were carried out Friday for Porto Germino and several other villages. Local authorities later confirmed that dozens of homes had been damaged or destroyed.

Earlier this week, blazes on the islands of Crete and Paros burned 6,000 hectares, per data from the Greek National Observatory of Climate. A new fire ignited late Saturday evening on the Ionian island of Kefalonia. Meanwhile, around 100 firefighters were deployed to tackle a blaze in Egaleo, in northern Peloponnese.

Firefighting Resources Under Extreme Strain

About 500 firefighters are currently engaged in operations around Porto Germino, according to the Hellenic Fire Service. Greek Civil Protection Minister Evangelos Tornas stated on Saturday that the fire service “has reached its maximum capacity.”

Tornas attributed operational difficulties to severe wind conditions, which created “extremely difficult circumstances,” preventing water-dropping aircraft from operating in many cases due to intense turbulence. Although winds subsided late Saturday, the Ministry of Civil Protection warned that Athens Metropolitan Area, the neighbouring island of Evia, and the island of Fthiotida remain under high fire risk for Sunday.

Fatalities and Official Warnings

Three firefighters died in the line of duty this week: two on Crete and one in the Peloponnese peninsula. Giannaros, in a Facebook post, wrote: “Unfortunately, it is very likely—if not virtually certain—that this specific fire will be classified as a megafire.”

Greece, like much of the Mediterranean region, experiences annual forest fires each summer driven by rising temperatures, recurrent heatwaves, and drought. The country ranks among those most severely affected by the climate crisis.