Firefighting efforts on the Greek island of Chios entered a third grueling day on Tuesday, as strong winds and relentless flare-ups pushed flames dangerously close to residential areas, prompting new emergency evacuations overnight. While firefighting reinforcements from across Greece have been deployed, authorities are now openly investigating the possibility of arson, citing suspicious fire patterns.

Flames Advance Near Coastal Villages

The most severe flare-up occurred overnight near the village of Zifias, with flames advancing toward the coastal settlement and beach of Lithi. This marks the third major rekindling in that area since morning hours, driven by powerful winds reaching up to 6 on the Beaufort scale. Authorities issued fresh evacuation orders for both the village and the beachside community, as firefighting forces scrambled to keep the fire from spreading toward the coast.

Chios wildfire

(ΚΩΣΤΑΣ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΟΥ/EUROKINISSI)

Another front, located in a rugged, hard-to-reach area near the village of Vessa, was reported to have reignited from the direction of Agios Georgios. Aerial firefighting units have been deployed to battle this front, as the terrain poses significant challenges for ground crews.

Mass Mobilization of Firefighting Resources

The firefighting response on Chios is now one of the largest in recent years. A total of 444 firefighters are operating on the ground, supported by 21 elite forest firefighting teams, 85 fire trucks, and 30 volunteers. Equipment includes four volunteer-operated vehicles and numerous water tankers and machinery provided by the Greek Army and local authorities.

Chios wildfire

(ΚΩΣΤΑΣ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΟΥ/EUROKINISSI)

Aerial support resumed at first light with eight aircraft (two fixed-wing planes and six helicopters) actively dropping water on critical hotspots. A total of four planes and 14 helicopters have been allocated for use throughout the day, rotating to maintain constant coverage.

The mobile operations command center “OLYMPOS” has also been deployed to Chios to coordinate the large-scale response.

Multiple Emergency Alerts Issued Overnight

Residents in affected areas were repeatedly alerted through Greece’s 112 emergency notification system. From midnight to 7:30 a.m., three separate alerts were issued urging evacuations from various villages:

  • Lithi village and beach: Residents were told to evacuate toward the Neochori community hall via Kondelopou and Armolia.
  • Vessa: An alert sent shortly before 6:00 a.m. instructed residents to evacuate toward Armolia.

These new alerts followed earlier evacuations from Ververato and other nearby communities, as the fire continues to threaten lives and infrastructure.

Arson Investigation Underway

Greek authorities are now publicly acknowledging suspicions of a coordinated arson campaign. A special arson crimes investigation team from the national Fire Service has been deployed to Chios to work alongside local police. Investigators are probing the multiple, simultaneous fire outbreaks across dispersed locations on the island.

Speaking from Chios on Monday evening, Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Giannis Kefalogiannis described the situation as “deeply concerning” and cited “serious indications of organized criminal action.”

“When fires ignite at multiple, scattered points nearly at the same time, we must talk about suspicious activity,” the minister said. “Whoever believes they can endanger lives and create chaos with premeditated actions will be brought to justice.”