Archive · 16 Aug 2026
Two die as fast-moving wildfires sweep Greek island of Salamina
On a big summer holiday weekend, a fire started on a Greek island called Salamina.
Strong winds made the fire spread very quickly.
Sadly, two people died, and the Fire Department believed they were a couple.
Several other people were hurt, and some houses were damaged.
People in the Kolones and Saterli areas were told to leave their homes.
Firefighters, planes and helicopters fought the flames, and boats were made ready in case people needed to escape by sea.
The exact number of firefighters and aircraft was reported differently by different sources.
The cause of the fire is not known yet.
The island was under a high wildfire risk warning that day.
This summer, eight people have now died in wildfires across Greece.
Two people died and several others were injured as fast-moving wildfires swept the Greek island of Salamina on Sunday.
Fire Service sources said the bodies were found near Peristeria, where the first fire started; the Fire Department believed the dead were a couple.
Strong winds made the flames spread rapidly, damaging houses and prompting evacuation orders for Kolones and Saterli, with sea evacuations prepared.
Sources differed on firefighting resources: about 146 or 192 firefighters and 10 or 14 aircraft and helicopters were deployed.
The cause of the fires was not immediately known, and the deaths raised Greece's summer wildfire death toll to eight.
- Who
- Two people, believed by the Fire Department to be a couple, died; several others were injured, with four transferred with burn injuries and five taken to a local health clinic per reports. Firefighting crews, volunteers, the Hellenic Coast Guard and firefighting vessels responded.
- What
- Fast-moving wildfires swept the island, killing two people, injuring several others and damaging houses, prompting evacuation orders and sea-evacuation preparations.
- When
- Sunday, during Greece's peak summer getaway weekend around the August 15 Assumption holiday.
- Where
- The Greek island of Salamina, west of Athens and near Piraeus port; the first fire erupted in the forested Peristeria area and a second fire burned in Selinia.
- Why
- Successive heatwaves across Europe have left vegetation tinder-dry, and strong winds were making the flames spread rapidly; the immediate cause of the fires was not known.
- Location
- Salamina island, Greece, west of Athens
- Deaths
- 2 people, believed by the Fire Department to be a couple
- Injuries
- Several injured; 4 with burn injuries and 5 taken to a local health clinic
- Firefighters deployed
- About 146 per one report; about 192 per another
- Aircraft and helicopters
- 10 (4 aircraft, 6 helicopters) per one report; 14 per another
- Evacuation areas
- Kolones and Saterli
- Fire origin areas
- Peristeria (forested) and Selinia
- Wildfire risk warning
- High on Sunday
