Fires in Konitsa, Ilia and Kilkis

Three separate and unrelated wildfires broke out in the afternoon and evening of Saturday 12 September 2026 across three different parts of the country, mobilising Fire Service forces in Epirus, the Peloponnese and Central Macedonia. In Epirus, a fire broke out in a forested area at Fourka, in Konitsa municipality of the Ioannina regional unit, with the Fire Service operations centre being alerted around 17:30, as reported by cnn.gr and emakedonia.gr. In the Peloponnese, a fire was detected in an agro-forested area at Heimadio in Ilia, with notification around 17:00 according to tanea.gr. In Central Macedonia, a fire in low vegetation was recorded at Mylochori in the Kilkis regional unit, with an alarm at 18:20 as reported by cnn.gr and firefightingreece.gr. These are three separate incidents, with no connection between them, each handled with independent operational management. The three fires came a few hours after the fire in a forested area at Skala Halkidikis, while a complete picture of incidents across the country is provided by the Wildfires section.

According to cnn.gr and emakedonia.gr, the Fire Service deployed 12 firefighters, one hiking unit, the 5th ΕΜΟΔΕ, three vehicles and three aerial means to extinguish the fire at Fourka in Konitsa. According to cnn.gr, lightning activity was recorded in the area, a factor being examined as part of firefighting efforts, but it is not attributed as the cause of the fire. Notably, the Fire Service stated, as reported by cnn.gr: “It is noted that lightning activity is recorded in the area, a fact being examined as part of the firefighting response.” According to cnn.gr, by 18:13 on Saturday afternoon there had been no announcement that the fire was brought under control. The same picture was reported by emakedonia.gr.

At Heimadio in Ilia, according to tanea.gr, 22 firefighters, one hiking unit, the 18th ΕΜΟΔΕ, seven vehicles and three aerial water-dropping means participated in extinguishing the fire in the agro-forested area, while the Pyrgos municipality supported the operation with tanker vehicles. The Fire Service’s cause-investigation unit was mobilised to examine the fire’s causes, but no conclusion has been announced. According to tanea.gr, by 18:01 firefighting operations were continuing. At Mylochori in Kilkis, as reported by cnn.gr and firefightingreece.gr, the fire in low vegetation was tackled by forces with one hiking unit and eight vehicles, reinforced by municipal tanker vehicles, with no aerial means reported. There is a discrepancy among sources regarding the number of firefighters: cnn.gr reported the mobilisation of forces without specifying a number of firefighters, while firefightingreece.gr specifically mentioned 20 firefighters. Both outlets, as well as naftemporiki.gr, agreed on eight vehicles. According to cnn.gr and firefightingreece.gr, by 19:21 the fire was continuing to burn, with no announcement of containment.

In all three cases, investigations into the causes are ongoing, with the responsible Fire Service units not having reached a conclusion for Fourka in Konitsa, Heimadio in Ilia, or Mylochori in Kilkis. In none of the three fires had it been announced that they were brought under control at the times of publication of the respective reports on Saturday 12 September 2026. The figures for the forces deployed on each front—firefighters, vehicles, hiking units and aerial means—correspond to what the Fire Service had announced at the specific times referenced above and may have changed since, as operations on all three fronts were continuing.