A fire broke out on Thursday afternoon at an outdoor area of a business near the beachfront close to Kalochori, west of Thessaloniki, prompting a large-scale response from the fire brigade and a public warning over dense smoke.
The blaze erupted at about 3 p.m. local time (1200 GMT). At 4:13 p.m. (1313 GMT), authorities issued an emergency 112 alert advising residents in the area to remain indoors, keep doors and windows closed and take protective measures against the smoke.
According to initial information, the fire started during work being carried out on a nearby plot before spreading to the yard of the business. Local media reported that arrests have been made, although the authorities had not officially confirmed the reports.
The fire brigade said the blaze is burning near industrial facilities. It initially ignited refuse, dry vegetation, pallets and plastic materials stored in the company’s yard before spreading into the building.
A total of 23 firefighters with nine fire engines are operating at the scene, assisted by one helicopter conducting water drops. Earthmoving equipment from the municipality of Delta and water tankers from the region of central Macedonia are also supporting firefighting efforts.
Throughout the operation, the fire brigade’s operations and crisis management coordination center is receiving continuous live imagery from an unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with optical and thermal cameras to monitor the fire’s development.
The incident comes as Greece remains on heightened wildfire alert during the summer fire season, with authorities repeatedly urging the public to avoid activities that could spark fires under hot, dry and windy conditions. Recent wildfire outbreaks across several parts of the country have prompted increased surveillance and rapid-response deployments by the fire brigade.
