ATHENS, Aug. 16, 2026 — What began as another busy summer weekend on the Greek island of Salamina turned into a deadly emergency on Sunday as powerful wildfires tore through residential areas, killing two people and injuring several others.
The two victims are believed to be a couple, according to Greece’s Fire Department.
As flames raced through dry vegetation, authorities began evacuating residents from Kolones and Saterli, while firefighters battled to prevent the blaze from reaching more populated areas.
Homes have already been damaged, and at least five people were taken to a local health clinic, according to reports from the area.
The emergency unfolded during Greece’s peak summer travel period, when the August 15 Assumption holiday brings huge numbers of people onto the country’s islands.
Salamina, located just west of Athens, is especially busy at this time of year because it is only a short journey from the capital and can be reached easily from the port of Piraeus.
But on Sunday, holidaymakers and residents faced a very different scene as smoke and flames spread across the island.
Firefighters battle powerful winds
Around 192 firefighters were deployed alongside 14 aircraft and helicopters, volunteer teams and municipal water tankers.
Coast guard and firefighting vessels were also sent toward the island as officials prepared for the possibility that people in threatened coastal communities might have to escape by sea.
Strong winds were pushing the flames rapidly through the dry landscape, complicating efforts to bring the fire under control.
Salamina had already been placed under a high wildfire-risk warning, highlighting the dangerous conditions across the region.
Officials had not immediately determined what caused the fire.
Europe faces another brutal wildfire season
The disaster on Salamina is part of a wider wildfire crisis affecting southern Europe.
Repeated heatwaves have intensified drought conditions across the continent, leaving vegetation extremely dry and creating ideal conditions for fires to spread quickly.
Greece, Spain and France have all faced major wildfires this summer, with some areas recording exceptionally large amounts of land burned.
The Salamina fire also follows a major blaze in northern Greece, where tourists and residents fled villages in the Halkidiki region after strong winds drove flames toward homes and a popular resort.
For residents of Salamina, the immediate priority remains survival and containment.
Fire crews are continuing their battle against the flames while evacuation operations remain underway in threatened areas.
But amid the firefighting effort, two families are already facing the devastating reality that the summer holiday has ended in the loss of two lives.