2021 Greece wildfires
The 2021 Greece wildfires were multiple wildfires in Greece in August 2021, which killed 3 people, injured at least 20 others and burned dozens of homes, after a historic heatwave for the country, with the highest temperatures reaching 47.1 °C (116.8 °F). Authorities evacuated several villages and towns. According to BBC News, Greece experienced the worst heatwave since 1987. These fires were the worst fires in Greece since the 2007 Greek forest fires which burnt more than double the area (270,000 hectares) of the 2021 fires (125,000 hectares).
| 2021 Greece wildfires | |
|---|---|
Satellite image of Greece on August 8, 2021 | |
| Date(s) | 3 August - 3 September |
| Location | Euboea, Peloponnese and Attica, Greece |
| Statistics | |
| Total fires | 140+ |
| Total area | 125,000 hectares |
| Impacts | |
| Deaths | 3 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 20+ |
| Ignition | |
| Cause | Arson |
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The largest wildfires were in Attica, Olympia, Messenia, and the most destructive in northern Euboea from which ferries evacuated about 2000 people. In 2021, approximately 125,000 hectares of forest and arable land were burnt during the worst fire season since 2007, with over 50,000 hectares burnt in northern Euboea alone. The World Meteorological Organization connected the fires with the regional heatwave and wildfire season made worse by climate change.
A fire had also broken out in the island of Rhodes a few days before the mass outbreak and resulted in a mass evacuation as well as leaving many people without power or water. Although many farms were destroyed, there were no casualties or burned homes. Several wildfires were also reported in multiple parts of the island of Crete.