Greek authorities ordered the evacuation of dozens of villages as severe drought and gale-force winds spread the fire at an alarming speed, NationalWorld reported. Greece requested assistance from the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, asking for four firefighting aircraft.

The largest blaze broke out in Western Achaea, near Flogeraika, necessitating the gradual evacuation of all local settlements. On Zakynthos, three separate fires burned near Koiliomenos, Keri, and Lithakia, destroying several homes in the village of Agalas. On Chios, areas in the northwest were evacuated overnight.

The damage includes forests, agricultural land, homes, farm buildings, warehouses, vehicles, small chapels, and shops near the port. A damaged local substation caused power outages.

After midnight, a second fire broke out at a waste station, but it was quickly contained. Five helicopters are operating over mountainous terrain, and residents of Limnia were evacuated by sea. Fires in rural and forested areas near four villages on the island of Zante triggered evacuation orders for the city of Zakynthos. Two aircraft and one helicopter are battling the blaze in difficult, hilly terrain. Homes and several farm buildings have been damaged, and one hotel has been evacuated.

On Kefalonia, a fire broke out early this morning in the Atheras area, threatening agricultural land and forests. Two aircraft are assisting 32 firefighters and volunteers, and evacuations have been ordered in several nearby villages. |BGNES