Wildfires west of Athens have been brought under control but are not fully extinguished; crews remain on scene tackling hotspots by ground and air. Calm winds have helped containment, and some residents are returning. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has convened a crisis meeting and pledged rapid aid, including a fast survey of roughly 100 destroyed homes in Porto Germeno and consideration of temporary housing subsidies. The fires destroyed about 80 sq km this time, adding to roughly 200 sq km lost across Attica over the last decade — around 42% of the region's forest area.
Wildfires West of Athens Brought Under Control — Rapid Damage Assessment and Aid Underway
FILE PHOTO - A firefighting helicopter is dropping water over a forest near the village of Psatha in Greece. (is associated with: «Greece begins damage assessment now fires near Athens under control») Socrates Baltagiannis/dpa
Large wildfires to the west of Athens have been brought under control but are not yet fully extinguished, as authorities begin a rapid assessment of damage to homes and the natural environment, ERTNews reported on Wednesday.
Fire crews continue to tackle smouldering hotspots and occasional flare-ups both on the ground and from the air. Calm weather and light winds have aided containment efforts, and some residents have been allowed to return to evacuated areas where it is safe.
Government Response
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has pledged swift support and convened a crisis meeting for late morning to coordinate relief and recovery measures. Officials plan an expedited survey of about 100 burned-out homes — most concentrated in the coastal village of Porto Germeno — to prioritise reconstruction and assistance.
Authorities are also considering a subsidy for temporary accommodation to support people who have lost their homes, alongside separate aid schemes for affected farmers, businesses and public facilities.
Environmental Impact
The full environmental toll is not yet clear. The current blazes destroyed roughly 80 square kilometres of forest, scrub and agricultural land. Naftemporiki reported that over the past decade about 200 square kilometres of forest in the Attica region have burned — the equivalent of roughly 42% of the region's total forest area — underscoring the longer-term challenge of wildfire damage and recovery.
Outlook: Containment is improving thanks to favourable weather, but cleanup, environmental assessments and reconstruction planning are only beginning.
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