Wildfire on Skyros forces evacuations as firefighters battle flames overnight
A forest fire that broke out at Atsitsa on Skyros on 15 August prompted 112 evacuation alerts for two settlements and drew 53 firefighters, 11 aircraft and 5 helicopters as ground forces fought the blaze through the night.
Outbreak and initial response
A wildfire broke out at approximately 16:00 on Saturday, 15 August 2026, in a forested area at Atsitsa on the island of Skyros. The Fire Service mobilised immediately, dispatching 8 firefighters with 3 vehicles, volunteers, and municipal water tankers from the Municipality of Skyros to the scene. From the air, 4 aircraft and 1 helicopter began water drops, supporting the ground effort to contain the fire front. Conditions were severe, with winds exceeding 7 Beaufort and the Skyros area rated at very high fire risk, category 4 on the national risk map. The Arson Investigation Unit of Evia was also mobilised to investigate the cause of the blaze.
Evacuation orders
At 16:30, Greece's emergency alert system 112 sent a message to those in the Agios Fokas area, instructing them to move toward Acherounes.
If you are in the Agios Fokas area, move away via the central peripheral road toward Acherounes.
A second alert followed at 18:15, ordering those in the Pefko settlement to evacuate toward Chora Skyrou. The evacuation orders came as strong winds continued to hamper containment and the fire front remained active near inhabited areas, infrastructure, and forest land.
Reinforcements arrive
Ground and aerial forces were steadily reinforced through the afternoon. The initial contingent of 8 firefighters with 3 vehicles grew to 12 with 5 vehicles, and 10 additional firefighters with 5 vehicles were dispatched by ferry from Kymi, Evia. By the evening, the Fire Service reported 53 firefighters on scene, including 5 foot patrol teams from the 1st, 4th, and 18th EMODE, operating with 10 vehicles alongside volunteers. The aerial fleet was expanded in stages: from 4 aircraft and 1 helicopter at the outset, to 6 aircraft and 4 helicopters by mid-afternoon, and finally to 11 aircraft and 5 helicopters by evening, one of which served for coordination. Additional reinforcements were scheduled to arrive by ferry from Kymi: 20 firefighters with 5 vehicles from the METPE Attica, 6 firefighters with 3 vehicles from the Evia Fire Services Command, 4 firefighters with 2 vehicles from the Thessaly Region, and 5 firefighters from the 4th EMODE.
- Fire breaks out in forested area at Atsitsa, Skyros
- 112 alert issued for Agios Fokas evacuation toward Acherounes
- 112 alert issued for Pefko evacuation toward Chora Skyrou
- Second fire breaks out at Xyropotamos, Samothrace
- More than 10 fire vehicles arrive from Kymi by ferry for night operations
Night operations
After aerial drops ceased due to darkness, ground forces took over the fight through the night. According to sources cited by evima, more than 10 fire vehicles were added to the operation via the evening ferry route from Kymi. All personnel were engaged in a difficult battle to extinguish the fire and keep it away from inhabited areas, infrastructure, and forest land, with the coming hours described as particularly critical by the Fire Service. The overnight effort relied entirely on ground units after the aerial fleet was grounded.
- Initial (16:00)
- 8 firefighters
- First reinforcement
- 12 firefighters
- Full deployment (evening)
- 53 firefighters
Second front on Samothrace
Meanwhile, a separate fire broke out at Xyropotamos on the island of Samothrace shortly after 18:30. The 112 alert system was also activated on Samothrace, warning residents of settlements near the fire. The simultaneous outbreaks on two Aegean islands came on a day when strong winds and red-alert fire risk conditions affected multiple regions of the country.
