Two dead as twin wildfires sweep Salamina island, 593 evacuated by sea

How the fires erupted

Two wildfires broke out almost simultaneously on Salamina island on Sunday, 16 August 2026. The first fire was reported at 14:43 in the Peristeria area, near Andromachi street, in a mixed zone of homes and forest. A second fire followed at 15:03 in the Kaki Vigla area of Selinia, near a pine-covered zone. Salamina was under a Category 4 "very high fire risk" alert that day, with powerful winds gusting to 7 Beaufort. According to the Fire Brigade's Strategic Planning and Communications Director, Vasilis Vathrakogiannis, the Peristeria fire spread rapidly within seven minutes, driven toward nearby settlements by the wind. Six emergency alerts were issued through the 112 system, ordering residents in Peristeria, Aias Club, Kolones, DEI Chalioti, Perani, and Kaki Vigla to evacuate toward safe directions.

The victims

An elderly couple was found dead on Andromachi street, close to where the Peristeria fire started. Firefighters discovered their bodies during the suppression operation, before the first fire engines had reached the scene. According to reports, the couple had left their home when flames reached them but became trapped by smoke. Residents reported hearing the couple calling for help, but no one could reach them at that moment. The two victims were found outside a burned house, possibly having tried to flee or to fight the fire threatening their home.

Vathrakogiannis provided the official confirmation of the deaths in a briefing from the Fire Brigade operations center.

Unfortunately, two people lost their lives during the outbreak of the fire, before the arrival of firefighting forces at the scene. Their bodies were subsequently located by firefighters during the suppression operation.

Injuries and medical response

At least nine people suffered burns, with two in serious condition requiring hospitalisation, according to a post on X by Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis. EKAB deployed six ambulances, one mobile medical unit, and two rapid intervention motorcycles. Ten patients were transported to the Salamina Health Center; nine had burns, and five of those were subsequently transferred to Thriasio Hospital with minor-degree burns. One elderly person was preventively brought to the health center after being rescued from a home in Kaki Vigla.

Sea evacuation and firefighting operation

A large-scale sea evacuation was conducted by the Coast Guard's operations center. By the evening, 593 people had been rescued from the beaches of Saterli and Kolones, transferred onto four passenger-car ferries. Of those, 571 were transported to the port of Faneromeni, while the last 22 evacuees were taken to the port of Paloukia. Two Coast Guard vessels and one Fire Service boat remained in the area for monitoring and assistance.

The firefighting deployment included 260 firefighters, 15 forest commando teams, and 58 vehicles, along with volunteers. Ten aircraft and eight helicopters operated periodically, one helicopter used for coordination. Water tankers and machinery from the Salamina municipality and the Attica region assisted, working with the Forestry Service to clear firebreaks.

Investigation and political response

The Fire Arson Crime Investigation Division is examining the causes of both fires. A resident of Andromachi street who reported the fire at 14:43 told the Fire Service that the blaze started from an adjacent vacant lot filled with garbage. The mayor of Salamina, Giorgos Th. Panagopoulos, told Athens-Macedonian News Agency (APE-MPE) that the fire started within a forested area, and noted that the problem of uncleared vacant lots is real on the island, with more than 10,000 unbuilt plots. Deputy Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Kostas Katsafados will visit Salamina on Monday for meetings with municipal authorities to discuss immediate damage restoration and compensation for those affected.