Two dead and hundreds evacuated as wildfires break out near Athens

Two people died and and hundreds were evacuated after two fires broke out “almost simultaneously” on a Greek island near Athens, officials said.

About 200 firefighters were working to keep the twin fires from converging on the island of Salamina, which was under a high wildfire risk on Sunday.

The first blaze was reported at 14:40 local time (11:40 GMT) near the island’s south coast and spread rapidly due to high winds, followed by the second some 20 minutes later in the east.

More than 500 people have so far been evacuated by sea, Greek media report. The cause of the fires is not yet known.

Five patrol boats have been sent to the area and several other private vessels are being made available for assistance, he added. A number of aircraft and 50 fire engines have also been deployed.

The first blaze broke out in a mixed residential and forested area in Peristeria, a southern city on the island, fire official Vasilios Vathrakoyannis said in a statement, followed by the second in the eastern town of Selinia.

Firefighters attending the first blaze found two bodies at the scene, he said.

At least 10 people suffered burns or showed “symptoms of smoke inhalation”, five of whom had been taken for treatment locally, Greek Health Minister Adonis Georgiades said on X.

Salamina Deputy Mayor Thodoris Zannis said firefighters were trying to keep the fires from burning over a mountain on the island and meeting to form a single blaze.