A wildfire broke out Wednesday afternoon in the Rodopi region of northern Greece, prompting urgent evacuation alerts to residents in the villages of Mikro Pisto and Tsifliki via the 112 emergency hotline.
Ground and aerial firefighting forces were swiftly deployed to the scene as strong winds, dry conditions and extreme heat fueled the blaze. The extent of the damage is still being assessed.
This latest fire follows a devastating blaze in the forested region of Feneos, in the Corinth prefecture, on Tuesday. That fire destroyed homes and forced the evacuation of residents in eight settlements. Authorities confirmed that two individuals have been arrested in connection with the Feneos fire, which is being investigated as a possible case of arson.
Rodopi, part of the East Macedonia and Thrace region, is home to some of the country’s most ecologically important forests. In 2023, the area lost over 30,000 acres to wildfires, according to the National Forest Fire Observatory. Another fire broke out near the remote village of Chloe in Rodopi six days ago.
The region borders Xanthi to the west, Evros to the east, and Bulgaria to the north. While the northern Rhodope Mountains dominate the landscape, the area also includes large expanses of farmland, forest, and grassland — all vulnerable to fire in the hot, dry summer months.
Most wildfires in Greece have been attributed to human negligence. Despite the frequency of such incidents, prosecutions remain rare, raising concerns about accountability as the country continues to face escalating fire seasons.
