2023 Greece wildfires
Since 17 July 2023, multiple wildfires have started in Greece. They have resulted in at least 28 deaths and injured 75 people, with over 80 wildfires being recorded. Seventy-nine people were arrested for arson.
| 2023 Greece wildfire | |
|---|---|
Dervenochoria fire as seen from Ilion, at approximately 2 am on 18 July. These are not flames but the glare from the fire due to the camera settings. The fire is behind the mountains. | |
| Location | Attica, Central Greece, Corfu, East Macedonia and Thrace, Evia, Peloponnese, Thessaly, Rhodes and Western Greece |
| Statistics | |
| Total fires | 80+ |
| Burned area | 1,800 km² |
| Impacts | |
| Deaths | 28 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 75+ |
| Evacuated | 20,000+ |
| Structures destroyed | Hotels, residences, schools and barns. |
| Damage | €600 million (2023) |
| Ignition | |
| Cause | 2023 European heat waves Human negligence or arson (suspected) |
High temperatures reached 41.0 °C (105.8 °F), with highs anticipated to reach 45.0 °C (113.0 °F) in Rhodes. Forecasters were suggesting that the heatwave engulfing Greece was set to be the longest in its history, lasting up to 16–17 days, surpassing the 1987 heatwave. It was also expected to be the hottest July recorded in more than 50 years.
Following a series of heatwaves and wildfires taking place over Europe, wildfires in Greece started on 17 July 2023. The Greek government established a Crisis Management Unit to respond to the situation. A wildfire which started on the Greek island of Rhodes on 18 July led to the evacuation of four locations, including two seaside resorts. Approximately 2,000 people, including tourists, were safely evacuated by sea, accounting for less than 10% of the island's tourist accommodations, according to the Fire Corps spokesman. On 22 August, eighteen bodies were found in a forested area of northern Greece; initial reports suggested those who died may have been migrants. Additionally, as days passed with more land being burned and property being destroyed more and more, civilians started complaining about the lack of strength in Greece's firefighting capabilities—something that they attribute to government mismanagement.