European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen paid tribute on Wednesday to the Danish and Greek pilots who lost their lives while fighting wildfires in Greece, saying they had died as heroes. The two pilots were killed during a collision of two firefighting helicopters trying to extinguish a big forest fire in western Attica on […]
The post Von der Leyen pays tribute to Greek and Danish pilots killed fighting wildfires in Greece appeared first on Keep Talking Greece.
The wildfires came during a severe heat wave across North Africa.
The post Algeria mourns as deadly wildfires kill 12 and injure 54 appeared first on BOL News.
The European Union has sent urgent support to Serbia through its civil protection mechanism as severe wildfires continue to affect the Deliblato Sands Special Nature Reserve, where more than 3,500 hectares have already been impacted.
In response to the worsening situation, Serbia activated the civil protection mechanism on Friday 21 August, requesting European support to reinforce ongoing firefighting efforts. Within hours of Serbia's request, the EU mobilised 4 helicopters from the strategic reserve of the rescEU fleet based in Czechia, Romania and Slovakia, as well as ground firefighting teams from Germany and Romania.
These assets remain deployed and are supporting ongoing firefighting operations. Additionally, a liaison officer arrived in Serbia to facilitate close coordination between the Serbian authorities, the EU emergency response co-ordination centre, and the deployed teams, ensuring that assistance is delivered swiftly and effectively where it is most needed.
For emergency assessment and operational planning, the EU's Copernicus emergency management service was already activated on 8 August, providing satellite mapping and analysis of the affected area.
The fires have been ongoing for more than two weeks, fuelled by strong winds, challenging conditions, and terrain that is difficult to access for ground-based intervention. The scale and persistence of the emergency have threatened one of Serbia's most important natural areas.
Preparedness and Crisis Management Commissioner Hadja Lahbib said:
"Civil protection mechanism in action: firefighting teams from Czechia, Germany, Romania, Slovakia have joined the fight against wildfires in Serbia, working alongside local responders. In times of challenge, Europe stands strong."
Two wildfires on the island of Zakynthos – Zante – on Tuesday mobilized strong firefighting forces and aerial means and forced the evacuation of a village. The first wildfire that broke out early Tuesday in the Marathias area of Keri was fully contained within a few hours, while a separate blaze triggered the evacuation of […]
The post “Beach Buggy” to blame for forest fire on Zakynthos (VIDEO) appeared first on Keep Talking Greece.
A Greek magistrate has ordered the Fire Brigade’s arson division to examine all wind farms in Greece, following the megafire in Viotia that spread to western Attica and destroyed thousands of acres of forest land and burned down around 100 homes in the last days of July and the first of August 2026. According to […]
The post Greece to investigate the safety all wind farms after the big fire in Attica appeared first on Keep Talking Greece.
The map of absolute destruction: 42% of the forests in Attica burned in the last 10 years. From 2017 until yesterday, August 3, 2026, a total of 15 major fires have burned more than 800,000 stremma* or 80,000 hectares and approximately 197,684.3 acres acres. The data resulting from the updated analysis of the burned areas […]
The post Absolute destruction: 42% of forests in Attica burned 2017-2026 (MAP) appeared first on Keep Talking Greece.
As the wildfires in western Attica rage for fourth consecutive day, voluntary organizations give their own battle to rescue animals, mostly pets, cats and dogs, left behind when their owners were ordered to evacuate. Animal lovers and volunteers rushed to rescue the abandoned animals or strays from the fire affected areas, set up provisional collection […]
The post Over 160 pets rescued from wildfires in western Attica; Appeal for Help! appeared first on Keep Talking Greece.
Opposition parties slammed Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis over his statement on the devastating wildfires in Greece in his weekly review traditionally posted on social media on Sundays. “Without a trace of self-criticism about the fires” as news website in.gr entitled its relevant report, “he blamed everything on extreme weather phenomena.” At a time when voices […]
The post Opposition parties slam PM Mitsotakis over wildfires statement appeared first on Keep Talking Greece.
Firefighters and water-dropping aerial means have been operating in several wildfires across the country, from Crete to Central Greece and from Peloponnese to Attica on Friday, July 31, 2026. It is the third consecutive day where fires jump out like mushrooms and spread quickly due to gale-force winds blowing with intensity of 7 to 8 […]
The post Multiple fire fronts throughout Greece, hundreds evacuated appeared first on Keep Talking Greece.
Login