Wildfires continue to pose a serious threat across parts of Europe, with Greece battling intense fires as France sees signs of easing after destructive blazes.

In Greece, gale-force winds have fanned flames across multiple areas, intensifying the wildfire emergency. Hundreds of firefighters, supported by water-dropping planes and helicopters, worked alongside emergency personnel to protect Porto Germeno, a popular resort on the Gulf of Corinth. Heavy winds drove flames through this coastal area west of Athens on Saturday, August 1st, 2026. According to the Greek newspaper Protothema, the fire in Porto Germeno split into three fronts, with many houses catching fire. Authorities issued evacuation orders for nearby towns including Agia Paraskevi, Kryo Pigadi, and Agios Nektarios. About 300 people were evacuated by sea, with further evacuation orders issued for the regions, as reported by The Associated Press.

Meanwhile, in France, the wildfires that have ravaged the country are now "under control," French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said on Saturday, more than a week after the largest wildfire since 1949 flared up. In a post on X, Lecornu noted that fires in Gironde were contained and that significant efforts by 1,500 firefighters helped contain the fire's progression in the mountainous southeastern Var department, where the fire burned through an additional 1,500 hectares (3,700 acres) of land.

These developments come amid a broader pattern of wildfires spreading in Greece and Turkiye, with the EU chief urging climate action in response to Europe's heating climate, which has sparked a "major intensification" of fires.

Sources