Tragedy on Salamina: Two Dead as Wildfires Rage Near Athens

Sun Sep 06 2026 01:26:36 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Dual wildfires on Salamina island near Athens leave two dead and residents evacuated under high wildfire risk conditions.

Two fires broke out minutes apart on the Greek island of Salamina, killing two people and prompting mass evacuation. Roughly 200 firefighters, 50 engines and five Coast Guard boats fought the blaze amid high winds, while 90 residents were rescued by sea. Authorities work to keep the fires from merging into a single major wildfire that could threaten the island's mountains.

Tragedy on Salamina: Two Dead as Wildfires Rage Near Athens

Two people have died and residents are being evacuated after two fires erupted within minutes on the Greek island of Salamina.

The blaze, first reported at 14:40 local time (12:40 GMT) on Sunday, spread rapidly under high winds, with the island already on a high wildfire risk alert.

Nearly 200 firefighters, 50 fire engines and five patrol boats from the Coast Guard were sent to fight the flames, while several private vessels were also enlisted to help the evacuation effort.

Around 90 residents have been rescued by sea, and authorities are working to prevent the fires from merging into a single, larger wildfire that could threaten the high mountain ridge.

Salamina lies just west of Athens and is home to about 37,000 people, many of whom are elderly, making the emergency response all the more urgent.

European firefighters have been battling a string of wildfires fueled by extreme heat this weekend, adding to the urgency of containing the blaze.