Fires in Chios, Euboea and Grevena on Thursday

Three separate forest wildfires broke out on the morning of Thursday, 27 August 2026 at three different locations in the country—Chios, Euboea and Grevena—simultaneously occupying significant firefighting forces. On Chios the fire started in a forested area in the Viki region, with the Fire Service sending a 112 alert at 12:00 calling residents of the area to high alert. In Euboea the fire broke out around 12:15 in low vegetation in the Kato Monokarya area in the municipality of Istiaia, while in Grevena the fire started earlier in the morning in a forested area, in a difficult-to-access location in the Chromio region.

In all three cases significant ground and air forces were mobilised. On Chios, 35 firefighters with two teams of hikers from the 13th Special Unit of Forest Firefighters (EMODE) and 11 vehicles operated, while for aerial firefighting, 2 aircraft and 3 helicopters were provided, with the Chios municipality providing water tankers. In Euboea, 24 firefighters with one hiking team from the 20th EMODE, 7 vehicles and 2 aircraft were mobilised, with the Istiaia municipality also providing water tankers. In Grevena, 21 firefighters with one hiking team from the 8th EMODE, 6 vehicles and 1 helicopter operated, while the Kozani municipality provided construction equipment and water tankers to support the operation.

The progress of the three fronts differed hours after they started. The fire in Euboea was contained around 12:30, according to an update reported by newsit.gr, while in Grevena the Fire Service reported that there is no longer an active front, though no information was provided as to whether the fire had approached a residential area. On Chios the situation remained ongoing in the early afternoon of Thursday, with the 112 alert suggesting heightened vigilance for the Viki area, although until that time there were no reports of an immediate threat to settlements or infrastructure. The nearly simultaneous outbreak of three wildfires at different locations in the country forced the Fire Service to distribute forces in parallel across three fronts, with the three municipal authorities in the region mobilising additional resources to support operations.

For all three fires, the competent Investigation Units to Counter Arson Crimes of Chios, Euboea and Kozani respectively were mobilised to investigate the causes. The fire in Grevena is different from the one that had occurred in the same regional unit in Deskata on 26 August, as it concerns a different location, in Chromio. Firefighting forces continue to monitor all three locations for possible re-ignition, especially on Chios, where the front remained active in the early afternoon. In the wider area of Euboea, where the summer has brought other environmental issues such as floating barriers against jellyfish, local authorities remain vigilant for new incidents until the end of summer.