Wildfire encircles seaside Greek village, forcing mass evacuations by boat as officials are trapped

A fast-moving wildfire in the Viotia region of central Greece forced a dramatic sea evacuation on 31 July 2026, as flames encircled the coastal settlement of Agios Vasileios. Strengthened by strong winds, the fire cut off land routes, leaving hundreds of residents and visitors trapped on the beach. Coast Guard, fire service and private boats transported people to the nearby shore of Livadostrata, with operations continuing through the night.

The evacuation at Agios Vasileios

By the afternoon of 31 July, the fire had surrounded the village, and a dirt-road evacuation attempt failed, according to a regional official. The Coast Guard coordinated a flotilla of five private vessels, a tugboat, a fire service boat, and later a patrol vessel to ferry people from the small port. The atmosphere was described as suffocating, with strong winds driving smoke toward the sea. Between 229 and 254 people were ultimately evacuated from Agios Vasileios, with the figure settling at 254 by late Friday, the regional spokesperson told Naftemporiki. Earlier, authorities estimated that as many as 500 residents and day-trippers were in the area, with two to three tourist buses having arrived that morning.

Second front at Porto Germeno

As flames advanced overnight, a separate operation unfolded at Porto Germeno beach in the early hours of Saturday, 1 August. Coast Guard spokesperson Theofanis Balatsoukas said 12 people were taken off the beach by a patrol boat, a fire service craft and a private vessel and transported to Alepochori. He added there were no indications anyone remained, but vessels stayed on standby for any further assistance.

“We have no signs that other people are still there.”

Authorities caught in the fire zone

Among those trapped in Agios Vasileios were the regional governor of Central Greece, Fanis Spanos, deputy governor Giorgos Ntasiotis, mayor of Thebes Giorgos Anastasiou, and a journalist from Star Central Greece, Thanasis Mertzianis. They were reportedly on site when the fire cut off escape routes and were evacuated along with other residents.

Door-to-door checks and a defiant resident

Local government teams went door to door to ensure no one was left behind, regional spokesperson N. Antoniou said. Meanwhile, one resident refused to board a rescue boat because he was not allowed to bring his frightened dog. He told MEGA television that he would not abandon the animal, even as strong winds made conditions on the water dangerous.

“I'd leave my wife, not my dog.”

Firefighting still underway

On Saturday morning the fire remained uncontained, with Civil Protection on high alert because of gale-force winds. Firefighters continued battling flames across multiple fronts in Viotia, and local authorities warned that homes remained under threat. No injuries or fatalities had been reported by Saturday morning.