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| 2018 Greek wildfires | |
|---|---|
| Title | 2018 Greek wildfires |
| Date | 23–26 July 2018 |
| Location | Attica, Greece |
| Area | Est. hundreds of hectares |
| Buildings | Dozens destroyed |
| Fatalities | 100+ |
| Injuries | Hundreds |
| Cause | Investigations into arson and negligence |
2018 Greek wildfires The 2018 Greek wildfires were a series of devastating wildfires that struck the Attica peninsula in late July 2018, centered on the coastal town of Matina, near Marathon and affecting suburbs of Athens. The disasters produced unprecedented loss of life and property, prompting national mourning by actors such as Prokopis Pavlopoulos and responses from international figures including Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron. Emergency declarations mobilized agencies like the Hellenic Fire Service, the EKAB, and international partners including European Union mechanisms and NATO assets.
Attica, encompassing Athens, Piraeus, and historic sites such as Cape Sounion and Eleusis, lies in a Mediterranean climate zone prone to summer fires. The region has experienced recurring incidents involving vegetation around landmarks like the Parthenon and infrastructure corridors such as the Athens-Thessaloniki railway. Preceding years saw notable events including the 2007 Greek forest fires and the Mati fire precursors that raised concerns among institutions like the Hellenic Civil Protection and the Hellenic National Meteorological Service (EMY). Urban expansion into wildland-urban interface areas, as observed in Rafina and Nea Makri, combined with seasonal phenomena such as hot, dry winds from the Sahara and synoptic patterns influenced by the Azores High.
On 23 July 2018, multiple ignition points ignited near coastal settlements including Mati, Rafina, and Nea Makri. Rapid spread was aided by strong northerly winds linked to a heat ridge affecting Balkans and Eastern Mediterranean weather. By 24 July, conflagrations reached built-up areas along the Aegean Sea shorelines, trapping residents near landmarks such as the Port of Rafina and transport routes like the Aegean Motorway. Evacuations utilized vessels from the Hellenic Coast Guard, ferries serving routes to Cyclades, and private craft from local marinas. Over the following days, firefighting crews from the Hellenic Fire Service, Hellenic Air Force helicopters, and assets from the European Civil Protection Mechanism engaged containment efforts; relief coordination involved ministries including the Ministry of Citizen Protection (Greece) and the Ministry of Health.
The wildfires inflicted catastrophic human and material losses, with fatalities concentrated in seaside communities near Mati and along the Marathonas coastline. Victims included residents of diverse locales—retirees from Nea Makri, families from Rafina, and tourists linked to routes from Piraeus—prompting inquiries by prosecutors in Athens Court of First Instance and appeals to figures such as Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras. Hospitals including Sismanogleio General Hospital and Evangelismos Hospital treated burn victims, and military hospitals like 401 General Military Hospital offered support. The disaster strained capacities of agencies like EKAV and inspired condolences from global leaders including King Felipe VI of Spain and Queen Elizabeth II.
National response encompassed mobilization of the Hellenic Fire Service’s engines, aerial firefighting via PZL M-18 Dromader and Canadair water-bombers, and civil protection coordination by General Secretariat for Civil Protection. International assistance arrived through the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism from states such as France, Italy, Cyprus, and Israel, and equipment included assistance from Germany and Sweden. Search and rescue operations involved the Hellenic Police, Hellenic Coast Guard, and volunteer groups including Hellenic Red Cross and international NGOs like Médecins Sans Frontières. Investigative units from the Hellenic Police's Fire Service Directorate cooperated with prosecutors, while parliamentary committees in Hellenic Parliament debated accountability and calls for reform.
Initial enquiries examined hypotheses including deliberate ignition by arsonists, accidental fires from electrical infrastructure such as lines maintained by PPC, and negligence associated with agrarian practices in municipalities like Rafina-Pikermi. Prosecutors opened criminal investigations in North Attica, reviewing actions by municipal authorities and national ministries including the Ministry of Environment and Energy (Greece). Meteorological analyses by EMY and research by institutions such as the National Observatory of Athens assessed the roles of extreme temperatures and synoptic circulation. International forensic teams and academic groups from universities like the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens contributed to assessments of ignition patterns and fire behaviour.
Ecological impacts affected coastal pine forests, shrublands in the Penteli and Parnitha ranges, and marine environments in bays adjacent to Euboean Gulf and the South Euboean Gulf. Losses included biodiversity declines affecting species referenced by the Hellenic Ornithological Society and habitat alteration in protected areas under the purview of the Ministry of Environment and Energy (Greece). Economic effects hit tourism hubs near Attica, marinas servicing the Aegean Sea islands, fisheries operating from Rafina Port, and small businesses in communities like Mati. Insurance claims involved companies such as Ethniki Insurance and financial institutions including the Bank of Greece monitored macroeconomic repercussions. Long-term costs included infrastructure repair on roads like the EO54 and investments in coastal protection.
Post-disaster recovery included reconstruction funded through parliamentary measures debated in the Hellenic Parliament and emergency allocations from the European Investment Bank and EU solidarity funds under European Union mechanisms. Reforestation programs engaged agencies such as the Forest Service (Greece), environmental NGOs including WWF Greece, and research collaborations with the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Policy reforms aimed at strengthening the General Secretariat for Civil Protection and emergency planning protocols involved cross-sector consultations with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport and local municipalities like Marathon. Mitigation measures emphasized early warning systems developed with the National Observatory of Athens, stricter land-use planning near the wildland-urban interface in areas such as Rafina-Pikermi, and investments in aerial firefighting capacity including new Canadair CL-415 acquisitions.
Category:Wildfires in Greece