Two Dead in Greek Wildfires; Belgium Faces Its 'Largest-Ever' Wildfire

A wildfire on the island of Salamis near the Greek capital of Athens left two people dead and forced hundreds to evacuate on the 16th (local time).

According to AFP and Xinhua News Agency, fire authorities announced that they recovered two bodies in the southern coastal area of Peristeria on the island.

While the specific identities of the victims have not been officially confirmed, they are believed to be a couple.

Authorities issued evacuation orders for Peristeria as well as the eastern coastal area of Selinia, prompting hundreds of residents and tourists visiting the beaches for the weekend of the Feast of the Assumption to evacuate.

The Greek state-run agency ANA also reported that nine people suffered burns and received medical treatment.

Salamis, located just west of Athens, has a population of about 37,000, many of whom are elderly.

The fire is currently burning through pine forests and other areas, with authorities deploying fire engines, helicopters, and aircraft to combat the blaze.

The Greek Coast Guard dispatched seven patrol boats to the area and placed private vessels on standby to assist with evacuations.

The coast guard stated that approximately 90 people were evacuated by sea.

Wildfires are a frequent occurrence in Greece during the summer.

A wildfire in the eastern region in 2018 claimed the lives of more than 100 people, while a blaze in the northeastern region in 2023 was recorded as the largest wildfire in the history of the European Union (EU).

This year, multiple large-scale wildfires fueled by strong winds have broken out across Greece since the end of last month.

In the past 24 hours alone, a total of 34 wildfires have been reported nationwide across Greece.

Including the victims from the Salamis island fire, the death toll from wildfires across Greece this summer has reached eight.

Meanwhile, a wildfire that broke out in eastern Belgium on the 14th has grown into the country's largest-ever wildfire, spreading toward the German border.

According to Reuters, the fire that began on the 14th in the Hautes Fagnes nature reserve in eastern Belgium had burned approximately 3,000 hectares—equivalent to about 4,200 football fields—as of this morning.

This is more than double the size of a 2011 wildfire that burned about 1,400 hectares, making it the largest wildfire ever recorded in Belgium.

Firefighters mobilized from across Belgium, alongside firefighting units from neighboring Germany and Luxembourg, have been conducting overnight firefighting operations, while the Belgian military and local farmers are also assisting in the efforts.

In response to Belgium's urgent request for assistance, the European Union (EU) deployed three firefighting helicopters and two firefighting aircraft from various parts of Europe the previous day.

Authorities in the Liège province, where the wildfire occurred, stated, "No structural damage to homes has been reported so far, but the flames remain close and smoke levels are significant," urging evacuated residents not to return home yet.

Fire authorities are focusing particularly on containing the flames spreading toward the German border.

Authorities in the German border region are also on high alert. Officials in Monschau, Germany, near the Belgian border, noted that while the likelihood of the fire spreading into German territory is low, they advised residents near the border to evacuate due to concerns over severe smoke pollution.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.