Forest fire on the Aegean island of Skyros: Firefighters battle flames since Saturday afternoon

Background: Situation on Skyros

The head of the Greek fire department, Southeast Europe correspondent Kyriakos Antonopoulos, is not among the named incident commanders on site, according to APA reports. Reporting on the immediate on-site command is based on accounts from ERT as well as reports from the news agency APA.

Forest fires occur regularly in Greece during the summer months, often triggered by high temperatures, strong winds, or negligent behavior. The authorities called on the population via ERT to exercise increased caution.

According to ERT, the emergency services were supported during the night to Sunday by firefighting aircraft and helicopters. Due to the heat and the wind, firefighting proved difficult, it was said.

Fighting the fire

There were no confirmed figures available on Sunday morning regarding the exact size of the burned area or possible damage to buildings and infrastructure. ERT also initially provided no further details on possible injuries or evacuations.

Germany is also indirectly affected, as the Greek islands are a popular travel destination for German holidaymakers. Tour operators and local authorities are monitoring the situation.

According to ERT, the weather forecast for the region indicated continued warmth and partly strong winds. Both factors can favor the spread of forest fires.

Outlook and weather situation

The fire department intended to continue its firefighting operations on Sunday. A spokesperson for the authorities announced further updates throughout the day.

According to ERT, the situation was also tense in Pefko, another location on the island. The emergency services attempted to prevent the flames from spreading to other forested areas.

The authorities pointed out that conditions on the Greek islands could remain critical in the coming weeks. Additional firefighting aircraft were being kept ready for the coming days.