Agios Vasileios: up to 6,000 euros for fire victims

The Municipality of Agios Vasileios announced three support measures for those affected by the wildfire, according to a statement released on the afternoon of Monday, August 17. The first and most significant concerns a household-goods allowance of up to 6,000 euros, paid through the state’s AROGI platform. Applications will be accepted from Thursday, August 20, through Tuesday, September 1, 2026, and concern primary residences that sustained damage. The exact amount is not fixed: it is set case by case, based on the number of household members, the extent of the damage, and the size of the home. Applications will be reviewed by a competent Municipal Committee.

The second measure concerns emergency financial assistance of 600 euros per affected household, to cover basic living needs, also paid through AROGI. The amount is increased by 600 euros for large families and by a further 600 euros in cases where the household includes a person with a disability. This assistance is distinct from the household-goods allowance and serves a different purpose: it covers immediate needs in the first days, when residents often lack access to their homes. The third measure, pre-announced without a finalized framework, concerns a special Pass to boost tourist traffic in the affected areas; the conditions, amount, and eligibility will be announced later.

Agios Vasileios mayor Giannis Tatarakis said that “from the first moment we said our effort does not end with putting out the fire,” adding that from August 20 the municipality’s services will be ready to receive applications from those eligible. The wildfire broke out shortly after 7:00 pm on Friday, August 14, in agricultural and forest land in Sellia, under winds of six Beaufort with gusts up to seven, and led to the precautionary evacuation of residents via 112 alerts from Foteinari and Souda.

For an area of southern Rethymno that relies heavily on tourism and agriculture, the twin focus of the announcement, compensating households and boosting visitor numbers, reflects the fact that the cost of a wildfire is not limited to material damage but extends to booking cancellations. The next step is practical: those eligible will need to submit the required documents and await the on-site inspection to record the damage, as confirmation of the destruction is a precondition for payment. The total number of households considered affected has not been announced. More from the area on the Agios Vasileios page.