Forest Fire on Paros: Villages Evacuated, Residents Sent to Beaches

Rescue services instructed the population to head to the beaches, as these serve as assembly points and water access in an emergency. "Bewohner wurden aufgefordert, sich an Strände zu begeben", according to the reports. According to media reports, residents actually fled to the coast.

Firefighting operations are being significantly hampered by strong winds, according to the authorities. Meteorologists say the wind is likely to strengthen further during the course of the day, further worsening conditions for the emergency services. Aircraft and helicopters had to suspend their nighttime firefighting flights and were not expected to resume until dawn.

Wind Hinders the Operation

The emergency services received reinforcements from the surrounding islands of Naxos and Syros, as well as from the Greek mainland. In the northeastern region of Evros, the fire service was also called out to deal with outbreaks of fire on Tuesday. "Griechenland ist in diesem Jahr weitgehend von Hitzewellen und großen Waldbränden verschont geblieben", according to the Deutschlandfunk report.

Nevertheless, the authorities classified the forest fire risk in several parts of the country as high. According to the newspaper "Kathimerini", there is a high forest fire risk in several parts of the country. Warning level four out of five has been in effect since Tuesday for Crete and the islands of Lesbos, Chios, Samos, Ikaria and Psara. Warning level three applies to the Athens region and the northeast of the Peloponnese peninsula.

Warning Levels for Several Regions

The island of Paros is part of the Cyclades in the Aegean and is a popular tourist destination. The ongoing evacuation therefore affects not only local residents, but also has an impact on tourism, which is a central source of income for the island during the summer months.

Expansion of Firefighting Since Previous Years

After devastating fires in previous years, Greece had significantly expanded its forest firefighting capacity. "Allerdings wurde nach verheerenden Feuern in den vergangenen Jahren die Zahl der Löschflugzeuge und Rettungskräfte deutlich erhöht." The fire service now counts 85 state-owned firefighting aircraft and 18,000 professional and seasonal personnel.

Modern technology is also now being deployed: more than 100 drone bases in particularly vulnerable regions now support the early detection of fires wherever possible. In addition, four satellites specifically developed for firefighting have been launched into space to monitor particularly dry areas.

Drones and Satellites Deployed

Meteorologists see the ongoing drought as a key driver of forest fire risk. In previous years, Greece had experienced heat waves lasting weeks at times, which dried out vegetation and provided ideal conditions for fires. Even without a new heat wave, the current drought is sufficient to keep the danger high, according to experts.

The authorities called on residents to follow the instructions of the rescue services and to head toward the coast immediately in an emergency. At the same time, the public was asked not to light open fires outdoors and to avoid wooded areas.

On the island itself, preparations for the evacuees continued. Assembly points were set up to provide those affected with at least temporary accommodation and supplies. Boats were also on standby to bring people from the island to safety should the situation deteriorate further.

The reports of evacuations triggered concern on social media and among tourists. Tour operators and local authorities attempted to assess the situation and urged people to follow official communications. The warning levels apply across multiple regions and not just to Paros, according to the information provided.

Outlook: Further Wind Increase Expected

With regard to the weather forecasts, meteorologists indicated that wind speeds could increase further during the course of the day. From the perspective of the emergency services, this increases the risk that the fire on Paros will continue to spread or that new fire outbreaks will occur. The coming hours are considered decisive for the course of the operation.

The German federal government and German tour operators had not yet been officially informed of changes to ferry connections or flight schedules, according to the Federal Foreign Office. German tourists on Paros were nevertheless asked to stay informed via local media and the Greek civil protection authority's app.

"Diese Nachricht wurde am 29.07.2026 im Programm Deutschlandfunk gesendet." The broadcaster is covering the situation on Paros and in other affected regions with up-to-date reports. Observers expect the authorities to draw up an initial assessment of the damage on Wednesday, once firefighting operations have progressed further.

In parallel with the acute firefighting efforts, research institutes and weather services are updating their data in order to sharpen forecasts for the coming days. The aim is to adapt warning levels more precisely on a regional basis and to alert the population to new risks at an early stage. Experience from previous summers is intended to help further improve communication between the authorities, the fire service and the public.