Greek firefighters battle wildfire on Chios for third day as authorities probe arson

Published on 24/06/2025 - 15:27 GMT+2

Hundreds of firefighters backed by craft were battling a wildfire burning retired of power for nan 3rd time connected nan eastbound Greek land of Chios connected Tuesday, pinch authorities issuing aggregate removal orders.

Towering walls of flames tore done wood and cultivation onshore connected nan island, wherever authorities person declared a authorities of emergency and person sent firefighting reinforcements from Athens, nan bluish metropolis of Thessaloniki and nan adjacent land of Lesbos.

By Tuesday morning, nan occurrence section said 444 firefighters pinch 85 vehicles were tackling nan blaze connected scattered fronts. Eleven helicopters and 2 water-dropping planes were providing aerial support.

Emergency services person issued removal orders for villages and settlements successful nan area since Sunday, erstwhile fires collapsed retired adjacent nan island’s main town.

The occurrence section has sent an arson investigation squad to Chios to analyse nan origin of nan blaze.

"We are faced pinch simultaneous fires successful multiple, geographically unconnected parts of nan island, a shape that cannot beryllium considered coincidental," Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Giannis Kefalogiannis said connected Monday.

Authorities, he said, were "very earnestly examining nan anticipation of an organised criminal act, successful different words arson."

The curate said constabulary forces connected nan land had been reinforced, while subject patrols had been doubled.

"Whoever thinks that they tin play pinch nan lives of citizens and origin chaos pinch premeditated actions will beryllium led to court," Kefalogiannis said. "Arson is simply a superior crime and will beryllium dealt pinch arsenic such."

Wildfires are predominant successful Greece during its hot, barren summers.

In 2018, a massive fire swept done nan seaside municipality of Mati, eastbound of Athens, trapping group successful their homes and connected roads arsenic they tried to flee.

More than 100 group died, including immoderate who drowned trying to aquatics distant from nan flames.