Greece's prime minister says winds of 10 Beaufort made water drops impossible, as three firefighters die and thousands of hectares burn

Greece is battling wildfires that Mitsotakis called the first large blazes of the summer, driven by winds he said had reached 10 Beaufort in many areas. Greece had already seen deadly fires earlier in the season, including one at Liti near Thessaloniki in which a father and his 12-year-old child died. Three Fire Service members have died, and satellite estimates relayed by Greek media put the burned area at more than 45,000 stremmata, about 4,500 hectares, on Crete alone over 29 and 30 July, with more than 65,000 stremmata in the Boeotia and Attica fire.

The prime minister's assessment

In his weekly government review posted on Facebook on Sunday 2 August 2026, Mitsotakis said the days had been "extremely difficult" for the country. He noted that despite heavy recent investment in civil protection, there are moments when nature surpasses all planning. The winds were so violent that water drops became impossible.

“In several cases over the last few days it was not possible to carry out either water collection or water drops, because extreme turbulence made flights prohibitive, with the result that the burden of the battle fell almost exclusively on the people on the front line.”

Mitsotakis stressed that Greece had acquired more aerial and ground assets, hired personnel and improved coordination, but that operational reality can still be overwhelmed.

The human cost

Three Fire Service members died on duty on 29 July. In southern Rethymno on Crete, seasonal firefighter Pantelis Diamantakis and firefighter Emmanouil Stratidakis were trapped by flames near Krya Vrysi and found outside their burned service vehicle. In Gythio, in Laconia, the deputy commander of the local fire station, Konstantinos Laimodetis, was found unconscious outside the fire perimeter in an area with no active front; Greek reporting said his death did not appear directly connected to the flames and the cause awaited an autopsy. Mitsotakis expressed his condolences and said the state owes their families the deepest support. He did not name the victims but described their sacrifice as a heavy price paid in an unequal fight.

“To their people we owe our deepest solidarity. And in their memory we must continue to constantly strengthen the country's capabilities against ever more extreme natural phenomena.”

He also extended his gratitude to all those involved: the Fire Service, volunteers, civil protection staff, security forces, the armed forces, and local government workers.

The government's response

Mitsotakis confirmed that those affected would receive support through the state aid mechanism. He repeated that prevention remains the top priority, with human life coming first, then property and forest ecosystems. No specific financial figures or new measures were announced in the post.

“Let us remember that in fires, prevention saves lives. And that remains our absolute priority: to protect human life first, then the property of citizens and our precious forest ecosystems.”

Migration and Ceuta

Beyond the fires, the prime minister also referred to the migration situation in Ceuta, the Spanish enclave in North Africa. He said migration continues to be one of Europe's biggest challenges and that Greece has been implementing "a strict but fair migration policy" since 2019, with a need for more effective guarding of land and sea borders.