Fires in Greece and France Begin to Subside
After a fiery weekend, firefighters in Greece halted the advance of the flames, and thousands of French residents are returning to their homes. Celebrities are mobilizing to help.
After a fiery weekend, firefighters in Greece halted the advance of the flames, and thousands of French residents are returning to their homes. Celebrities are mobilizing to help.
After days of battling the fiery blaze, the situation with wildfires in southern Europe improved on Monday. Firefighters in Greece managed to halt the advance of a major fire threatening the area west of Athens, while thousands of evacuated residents and tourists in France were able to return to their homes.
The strong winds that hampered firefighting efforts over the weekend weakened on Monday, allowing 12 firefighting planes and 11 helicopters to be deployed over the coastal resort of Porto Germeno, where multiple evacuations had been ordered. Yiannis Artopios, spokesperson for the Greek fire service, described the current situation: "To put it in a headline: conditions are better, but we continue because there are still multiple points of activity. This is a difficult fire that has been causing us problems."
Around 500 firefighters managed to stop the fire's spread, but authorities warn that areas around Athens remain at high risk. More than 1,000 people were evacuated from the region, and over 250 were rescued by boats from the beaches. The previous day, firefighting efforts were marred by tragedy when two privately chartered helicopters collided mid-air, killing two crew members, a Greek and a Dane, and injuring two others.
In France, the situation is also calming down. After the massive fire was brought under control, thousands of people were able to return to their homes or holiday accommodations on Monday. This marks the return after the largest civilian evacuation in the country outside of wartime, in which more than 224,000 people had to leave their homes.
The fire affected around 420 square kilometers, an area four times the size of Paris, and destroyed 183 homes in the hardest-hit municipality of Le Porge. The return includes the Cap Ferret peninsula, a popular tourist destination on the Atlantic coast. Campsites remain closed for now. Meanwhile, a second fire in Provence, which consumed 18 square kilometers, is not yet under control, with 1,500 firefighters on the ground reinforcing defense lines ahead of forecasted stronger winds.
The scale of the disaster has prompted numerous public figures to react and call for solidarity. Actor and director Guillaume Canet, owner of a residence on Cap Ferret, said in a video on Instagram posted on August 2, 2026, that he was "moved" and "shaken" by the work of firefighters, volunteers, and farmers. He contacted the Red Cross, the Foundation of France, and Popular Relief and called on the French to donate.
His appeal was quickly relayed by other celebrities. Content creator Léna Situations announced on her YouTube channel the same day a donation of 62,000 euros to victims, in partnership with a shoe brand that will donate 1,000 euros for each day her community runs at least one kilometer. Singer Jérémy Frérot is concerned about the economic consequences and encourages tourists not to cancel their holidays in the Arcachon basin.
Actress Laura Smet expressed regret on Instagram on July 31, 2026, about the mass cancellations even though many establishments remained open. Host Julien Courbet announced the organization of a major humanitarian concert and a special show about insurance to help victims.
Among those affected are Amal and George Clooney, who were evacuated with their twins from their home in Brignoles on July 30, 2026. In a letter to Mayor Didier Brémont, they wrote: "Amal and I are determined to do everything so that, no matter what happens to our village, we remain part of this community and contribute to its rebuilding." A few days later, the mayor confirmed that all residents, including the Clooneys, were allowed to return home thanks to the firefighters' efforts.
Actress Sarah Michelle Gellar, who was vacationing in Provence, also sent a message of support to the evacuees, saying she was safe but thinking of all the victims of the fires that have hit France.
