Greece is facing one of its most severe wildfire crises in recent years, fueled by relentless heat, prolonged drought, and strong winds sweeping across the country. Among the hardest-hit areas is the Achaea region in western Greece, where flames have devastated forests, farmlands, homes, hotels, and businesses around Patras, the nation’s third-largest city.
In scenes both heartbreaking and heroic, residents have been seen risking their lives to save every living creature they can. From carrying sheep and goats in their arms to loading pets and livestock onto vehicles, people are fleeing through smoke-filled roads to escape the advancing inferno.
The crisis is growing in scale. More than 150 active wildfires have been reported across mainland Greece and its islands—including Chios, Zakynthos, Kefalonia, and Cephalonia—forcing thousands of residents and tourists to evacuate.
In Achaea, dozens of towns and villages—including Mireika, Aghios Stefanos, Theriano, Kamenitsa, Achaiko, and Didacheika—have received urgent evacuation alerts as fires, driven by fierce winds, spread rapidly from the Flogereika area of Erymanthos. The flames have reached Isoma, threatening livestock shelters, crops, and homes. Firefighters—supported by 18 fire engines, eight planes, two helicopters, and numerous ground crews—are battling around the clock, while major roads such as the Patra–Tripoli motorway remain closed for safety.
The situation is dire across southern Europe. In 2025 alone, around 440,000 hectares have burned—double the yearly average since 2006—due to extreme heatwaves and severe drought. In Greece, more than 7,500 people have been evacuated, with over 62 aircraft and nearly 5,000 firefighters deployed to contain the flames.
While calmer winds have briefly allowed aerial firefighting to be more effective in certain areas, authorities remain on high alert. Several arrests have been made in connection with suspected arson near Patras.
This year’s wildfire season has already reached unprecedented levels, with EU-wide emergency responses in 2025 matching the total number for the whole of 2024—underscoring the severity of the crisis that continues to unfold.