Fatal Fires Rage on Greek Island Salamina, Two Dead, Evacuation Underway

Sun Sep 06 2026 03:23:59 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Two people died after wildfires erupted on Salamina island near Athens, as evacuation crews fight to contain the blazes.

Wildfires broke out on the Greek island of Salamina on Sunday evening, killing two people and prompting a large evacuation. About 90 residents have been pulled from their homes by sea while 200 firefighters, 50 engines, aircraft and patrol boats are battling the blazes under high wind and heat conditions. Salamina, home to roughly 37,000 residents—many elderly—has been under a high wildfire risk warning. European firefighters are also contending with several hot‑spot incidents across the continent.

Salamina Wildfire Crisis

Two people unfortunately lost their lives when two fires erupted almost simultaneously on the Greek island of Salamina at about 14:40 local time (12:40 GMT). The blaze spread rapidly, aided by high winds under the island’s high wildfire risk warning.

Fire officials report that roughly 200 firefighters have been deployed to the island, where they are working hard to keep the flames from merging into a single, larger blaze. The fire crews are using 50 engines, aircraft and boat patrols, with five harbour‑police boats and additional private vessels arriving to assist.

Coastguard spokesmen said that around 90 residents have been evacuated by sea, while the Deputy Mayor of Salamina, Thodoris Zannis, warned that the fire threatens to climb a mountain on the island and could threaten the entire community.

Salamina sits just west of Athens, boasting a tourist‑friendly coastline and a population of about 37,000 people, many of whom are elderly. The ongoing blaze is one of several wildfires sweeping Europe this weekend, driven by heat and dry conditions that have put many regions under extreme risk.