The wildfire threat that has devastated parts of Spain and France over the past week is now shifting toward Greece, Italy and Central Europe, according to Maria Zuber, head of the European Union’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre.
Speaking to Reuters, Zuber warned that persistent high temperatures, strong winds and prolonged dry conditions are creating the perfect environment for fast-moving wildfires across southern Europe.
“France will continue to face very difficult conditions,” she said on Wednesday, adding that “the next risk is already moving to Greece and also Central Europe.”
Her warning comes as Greece battles multiple wildfires, including blazes on Paros, and on Crete, where two firefighters were killed while trying to contain a fire near the village of Krya Vryssi in Rethymno.
Although Greece had appeared to be “spared for the moment,” Zuber said the situation is rapidly changing.
“We see that it will go to Greece. Italy will face risk at the beginning of August, and we will need to see what will happen with the Iberian Peninsula, because if it is there as well, we will have all Europe on fire,” she said.
The forecast is based on the combination of extreme heat, strong winds and exceptionally dry conditions, all of which significantly increase the risk of large, difficult-to-control wildfires.
Europe experienced one of its worst wildfire seasons last year, with more than one million hectares of land burned. Zuber warned that 2026 could prove equally severe.
New Fires Across Greece
File photo: Konstantinos Tsakalidis/SOOC
In Greece, firefighters continued battling multiple fronts on Wednesday. Besides the deadly blaze near Krya Vryssi in Rethymno, new fires broke out in Triopetra, Agios Georgios, Agios Pavlos, Saktouria and Melabes on Crete, as well as in the Plomari area of Lesvos, and Ageranos in Mani, in the Peloponnese.
Meanwhile, a major fire that burned for a second consecutive day on the popular Greek island of Paros was largely brought under control. Fire crews, however, remain on high alert as gale-force winds continue to threaten flare-ups.
Residents and visitors in affected areas received evacuation alerts through Greece’s 112 emergency warning system, urging them to move to safer locations.
