Just ten days after a catastrophic blaze that consumed 11,000 hectares, a new firestorm is raging southeast of Athens. The village of Agios Stylianos has been evacuated as 172 firefighters battle flames fanned by strong winds.
A new wildfire broke out on Monday morning, August 10, 2026, southeast of Athens, Greek fire services reported. The fire erupted near the settlement of Kouvaras, about 60 kilometers from the capital, in the Attica region, and its rapid spread is being fueled by strong winds exceeding 70 km/h.
Greece's fire service announced on platform X that at least 172 firefighters with approximately 40 vehicles have been deployed to the scene. Aerial firefighting efforts include "two water-bombing aircraft and four helicopters," the service added. Public broadcaster ERT News reported that aircraft are struggling to overfly the affected area due to wind gusts "that keep changing direction."
Due to the imminent danger, Greek Civil Protection ordered the evacuation of the village of Agios Stylianos, located near Kouvaras. This is already the second major fire in the vicinity of Athens this summer, further straining already exhausted firefighting forces and raising concern among residents.
It is worth recalling that just ten days ago, a massive fire broke out northwest of the Greek capital. That fire, fueled by wind gusts reaching up to 130 km/h, was brought under control only after five days of fighting. The disaster destroyed more than 11,000 hectares of pine forest, maquis shrubland, and agricultural land.
The previous fire's extinguishing efforts had a tragic outcome. Two helicopter crew members died in a collision with another helicopter while battling the blaze. These events underscore the growing toll Greece is paying in its fight against fires, whose frequency and intensity are increasing.
Experts warn of the alarming scale of damage in the Attica region. According to data reported by news agencies, from 2017 to 2026, as much as 42 percent of the total forest area in this region has been burned in just 15 major fires. The situation is most dramatic in western Attica, where as much as 64 percent of forests have been destroyed. Greece remains on maximum alert, with several regions under a very high fire risk, rated level 4 on a scale of 5.
