Wildfire on Paros forces overnight evacuations of five settlements as winds intensify

Fire breaks out and spreads rapidly

The fire ignited around 13:30 on Tuesday, 28 July, in the Kambi area near the Paros landfill, a zone with scattered houses and dry low vegetation. It spread quickly, fanned by strong winds that shifted direction repeatedly. By evening, the flames had created two separate fronts along the ridge line, passing dangerously close to homes and monasteries in Agios Charalambos. The fire was visible from the neighboring islands of Antiparos and Sifnos. Although no residential areas were directly engulfed, the flames moved through ravines that are difficult to access, generating their own pyro-meteorological conditions that further complicated firefighting.

Evacuations ordered via 112 alerts

Civil Protection activated the 112 emergency alert system multiple times. At 14:42 on Tuesday, residents of Agios Charalambos, Kambi, Bougados, and Aneratza were instructed to evacuate to Alyki beach. A second alert at 15:28 directed those in Kamari to do the same. Earlier, the fire had passed through Aneratza and Kamari, threatening scattered homes. As night fell and the fire advanced toward Agkairia and Trypiti, new messages were issued: at 01:30, people in Agkairia were told to leave for Alyki; at 02:15, residents of Trypiti, Aspro Chorio, Glyfa, and Pyrgaki were ordered to evacuate to Dryos. In total, ten settlements were evacuated over the course of the day and night.

“Fire in the Agkairia area of Paros Regional Unit. If you are in Agkairia, evacuate towards Alyki beach. Follow the instructions of the Authorities.”

Firefighting forces and reinforcements

Overnight, 66 firefighters, four forest commando teams from the 1st EMODE unit in Attica, and 16 vehicles battled the flames. Reinforcements were brought in from Syros, Naxos, Athens, Megara, Elefsina, and Piraeus. The municipality of Paros contributed two water tankers and a work machine, and volunteers assisted. The deputy chief of the Fire Service took operational command. Aerial firefighting was halted after sunset and resumed at first light on Wednesday, with five helicopters and two aircraft operating over the island. An additional 20 firefighters with eight vehicles are expected to arrive by ferry from Rafina in the morning, further bolstering the ground effort.

Weather challenges and outlook

Winds have been the primary obstacle, constantly changing direction and intensifying. Forecasts for Wednesday predict winds up to 6 Beaufort in the Cyclades, with some meteorologists warning of gale-force winds reaching 7 to 8 Beaufort in the Aegean. The fire has been burning in rugged terrain with ravines that hinder access, and olive trees have caused repeated flare-ups. Some households have lost electricity. Authorities are preparing for a difficult day, with a narrow window of relatively calmer conditions expected only until late morning.

“The situation remains difficult.”

Investigation and next steps

The cause of the fire remains unknown. An investigative team from the Cyclades Arson Crime Unit has arrived to examine the circumstances. With winds forecast to strengthen further, the priority is to prevent the flames from reaching populated areas and to contain the multiple fronts that have developed. The arrival of additional ground forces and the aerial water drops that resumed at dawn are expected to aid containment.