Tourists are being evacuated in Greece due to widespread wildfires
On the Greek peninsula of Chalkidiki, local residents and tourists are being evacuated due to wildfires. The fire has reached the resort villages of Siviri and Fourka, and people are being evacuated from Siviri Beach not only by land but also by boat.
Greek civil defense officials have ordered everyone in Siviri and Fourka to immediately leave the danger zone. The wildfires have approached residential areas, prompting authorities to begin the evacuation. More than 140 firefighters have been deployed to fight the blaze. The flames are spreading on both sides of the main road leading from Siviri to the city of Kassandra.
Rescue teams are being assisted by aircraft. Nine planes and seven helicopters have been deployed to extinguish the fire. Two firefighters were injured while on duty. There is currently no information on the severity of their injuries.
People are being evacuated from the beach by boat
Due to the fire, evacuations are also taking place along the coast. The Greek Coast Guard, together with private vessels, has begun evacuating people from Siviri Beach. Two Coast Guard patrol boats and nine private boats have been deployed for the operation. The high-speed passenger vessel Speedrunner Jet has also arrived at the coast. This method of evacuation is used to quickly remove people from the danger zone if traveling by road becomes difficult or dangerous due to the fire.
Earlier, a hotel with Ukrainian children was evacuated
The fires have already impacted the region’s tourism infrastructure. Earlier, a hotel in Furca where children from Ukraine were staying was evacuated. Rescue workers are currently continuing to battle the flames. The main task is to prevent the fire from spreading to residential areas and other resort areas. The situation in Chalkidiki remains tense. Due to the scale of the fire, hundreds of people, firefighting aircraft, helicopters, and vessels have been deployed to extinguish it, according to the publication Ekathimerini.
Since the beginning of 2026, Greek law enforcement has detained 281 people in connection with the wildfires. Some of the fires are believed to have been caused by arson or careless handling of fire.
