Greek City of Patras Under Threat as Wildfires Rage Amidst European Heatwave

Tue Oct 21 2025 03:49:26 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Fast-moving wildfires in western Greece are threatening Patras, leading to mass evacuations and extensive damage amidst a severe heatwave affecting southern Europe.

As extreme heat and strong winds fuel wildfires in Greece, the city of Patras faces dire conditions, prompting evacuations and significant destruction. Similar blazes threaten communities across southern Europe, with fears of worsening climate impacts.

A major city in western Greece, Patras, is facing grave danger from rapidly spreading wildfires exacerbated by an intense heatwave sweeping across southern Europe. With temperatures soaring and fierce winds driving the flames, authorities were forced to evacuate areas, including a children's hospital, as smoke filled the city’s skyline.

In just two days, nearly 10,000 hectares have been consumed by the fires in the Achaia region surrounding Patras, leading to the destruction of entire villages, homes, businesses, and hundreds of vehicles, including over 500 incinerated at a local customs yard. Witnesses described silence on the streets as residents looked on, with high temperatures reaching 38°C prompting some to seek medical attention for breathing problems.

Evacuations were mandated for 7,700 residents of a nearby town earlier this week, with alerts issued for additional villages on Wednesday. Meanwhile, coastguards undertook rescues as wildfires approached beaches on the islands of Zante and Chios. Greece has appealed to the EU for water bombers to assist over 4,800 firefighters combating more than 20 ongoing wildfires.

This crisis unfolds amidst a broad heatwave hitting southern Europe, with wildfires igniting from Portugal to the Balkans. In Spain, a tragic incident saw the deaths of a civilian and a volunteer firefighter amidst a heatwave that has reached its tenth day, with extreme temperatures recorded at 45°C. Politicians have sparked controversy over comments regarding disaster responses as thousands are displaced in Spain’s Castile and León region.

So far this year, Greek authorities report 199 wildfires, which have ravaged nearly 99,000 hectares — a total that is double from last year. Concerns stem from suspected arson in various outbreaks.

In neighboring Portugal, approximately 1,800 firefighters are battling five major blazes, while Albania braces for a challenging week with 24 active wildfires forcing more evacuations. Although Italy has managed to control a significant fire on Mount Vesuvius, it remains under heat warnings with temperatures soaring in various cities.

As Britain faces its fourth heatwave this summer, meteorologists warn that such extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and severe, attributed to climate change.