Corfu: fire at Temploni under control

A fire in a farm and woodland area at Temploni on Corfu was brought under control on the afternoon of Tuesday 18 August 2026, after a substantial deployment of forces. According to the Fire Service announcement, twenty firefighters with a foot patrol team of the 15th ΕΜΟΔΕ and five vehicles took part in the firefighting effort, while five aircraft and two helicopters were deployed from the air. The ground forces were assisted by water tankers and works machinery from the Civil Protection service of the Municipality of Central Corfu.

At 15:44 a message was issued by 112 to those in the area, advising them to remain on alert and to follow the instructions of the authorities. The message did not include an evacuation order. The activation of the system is attributed to the difficult terrain of the area, a feature that hampers access for vehicles and makes timely warning of residents crucial. Temploni lies in the central part of the island, in a zone where olive groves, low vegetation and scattered houses alternate.

The fire first passed into a stage of partial control and then was fully brought under control in the afternoon. After that development two PZL aircraft and one helicopter left the scene, while the ground forces remained along with three tractor-type aircraft and one helicopter to deal with any flare-ups. The Corfu investigative unit for arson crimes has been mobilised to look into the causes. No injuries or damage to homes have been reported, and no estimate has been given of the area burnt.

The incident is part of a particularly heavy day for the Fire Service, which was operating at the same time in Volos, Kalavryta and Gortynia, Thebes, Milos and Salamina. Managing many fronts simultaneously in different regions puts pressure above all on the air assets, which are moved around according to how each incident develops. In Corfu, the deployment of seven air assets in total for a farm and woodland area shows a choice of a rapid and massive response before the front could spread towards inhabited zones.