Firefighters battle wildfire burning out of control on Greek island

Hundreds of firefighters backed up by aircraft are battling a wildfire burning out of control for a third day on the eastern Aegean island of Chios, with authorities issuing multiple evacuation orders.

Towering walls of flames ripped through forest and agricultural land on the island, where authorities have declared a state of emergency and have sent firefighting reinforcements from Athens, the northern city of Thessaloniki and the nearby island of Lesbos.

By Tuesday morning, the fire department said 444 firefighters with 85 vehicles were tackling the blaze on scattered fronts. Eleven helicopters and two water-dropping planes were providing air support.

Emergency services have issued evacuation orders for villages and settlements in the area since Sunday, when fires broke out near the island’s main town.

The fire department has sent an arson investigation team to Chios to examine the cause of the blaze.

“We are faced with simultaneous fires in multiple, geographically unconnected parts of the island – a pattern that cannot be considered coincidental,” climate crisis and civil protection minister Giannis Kefalogiannis said on Monday from Chios.

Authorities, he said, were “very seriously examining the possibility of an organised criminal act, in other words arson”.

The minister said police forces on the island had been reinforced, while military patrols had been doubled.

“Whoever thinks that they can play with the lives of citizens and cause chaos with premeditated actions will be led to court,” Mr Kefalogiannis said. “Arson is a serious crime and will be dealt with as such.”

Wildfires are frequent in Greece during its hot, dry summers. In 2018, a massive fire swept through the seaside town of Mati, east of Athens, trapping people in their homes and on roads as they tried to flee.

More than 100 died, including some who drowned trying to swim away from the flames.