A major wildfire continued to burn out of control in Greece’s central region of Boeotia on Friday, forcing a large-scale evacuation by sea as emergency crews battled rapidly spreading flames under extremely challenging conditions.
The wildfire, driven by strong winds, prompted an ongoing rescue operation in the coastal settlement of Agios Vasileios, where residents and vacationers have been evacuated from the beach by vessels operated by the Fire Service, the Hellenic Coast Guard and private boat owners.
The fire broke out Friday morning, July 31, and authorities launched an operation to evacuate people from the coastal zone by boat. Boats have been making repeated trips to the shoreline to transport people to safety, although each vessel can carry only a limited number of passengers because of rough seas and safety restrictions.
By late afternoon 229 people were evacuated by sea. According to the Hellenic Coast Guard, 25 of those rescued, mostly older individuals, are temporarily remaining aboard the coast guard patrol vessel because they are having difficulty disembarking. Efforts are underway to safely bring them ashore.
Wildfire in agricultural and forest land in the wider Domvraina area of Viotia. The fire started in Xironomi and spread toward Kalamaki and Agios Vasileios due to strong northern winds. Strong firefighting forces are operating to extinguish the blaze. Friday, July 31, 2026. (Michalis Karagiannis / Eurokinissi)
Among those evacuated was also a newborn baby was also rescued earlier after dense smoke created hazardous conditions in the area.
The operation is being coordinated by Greece’s emergency authorities, with Civil Protection, the regional government, the Fire Service and the Coast Guard all deployed as the wildfire continues to threaten coastal communities.
Authorities also issued a 112 emergency alert for residents of Porto Germeno, urging them to remain on standby in case an evacuation becomes necessary as the fire evolves.
Wildfire in agricultural and forest land in the wider Domvraina area of Viotia. The fire started in Xironomi and, driven by strong northerly winds, spread toward Kalamaki and Agios Vasileios. Strong firefighting forces are battling the blaze. Residents and vacationers were evacuated by sea from the coastal settlement of Agios Vasileios. Friday, July 31, 2026. (Fire Service Press Office / Eurokinissi)
Wildfire in agricultural and forest land in the wider Domvraina area of Viotia. The fire started in Xironomi and spread toward Kalamaki and Agios Vasileios due to strong northerly winds. Strong firefighting forces are operating to contain the blaze. A sea evacuation was carried out from the coastal settlement of Agios Vasileios. Friday, July 31, 2026. (Fire Service Press Office / Eurokinissi)
Coordinated efforts are underway involving the Coast Guard, Fire Service, the Region of Central Greece and local authorities to remove everyone remaining in Agios Vasileios safely. According to information available so far, around 50 people are expected to be transported by sea to a safe location in the Livadostrata area.
Wildfire in agricultural and forest land in the wider Domvraina area of Viotia. The fire started in Xironomi and, fueled by strong northerly winds, spread toward Kalamaki and Agios Vasileios. Strong firefighting forces are battling the blaze. Residents and vacationers were evacuated by sea from the coastal settlement of Agios Vasileios. Friday, July 31, 2026. (Hellenic Fire Service Press Office / Eurokinissi)
According to the latest information, a total of four communities in Boeotia have already been evacuated, while officials have not ruled out ordering additional evacuations depending on how the wildfire develops.
Environmental Constraints
Strong winds have severely hampered firefighting efforts, reducing visibility and significantly limiting the use of aerial firefighting aircraft.
The situation has worsened in Agios Vasileios, where a new fire front broke out behind homes while a large section of the surrounding mountainside has already been consumed by flames. Fire officials said both Agios Vasileios and a neighboring smaller settlement have been evacuated.
Speaking to Greek broadcaster MEGA from a Fire Service vessel, Agios Vasileios resident Eugenia Spetsioti described chaotic conditions during the evacuation.
“Right now we’re on Fire Service boats in the bay, but far from the harbor. We can’t see anything—only smoke. You can’t breathe,” she said.
Spetsioti said residents had called emergency services repeatedly throughout the morning and warned that the community has only one escape route leading to the beach. She said the road caught fire, leaving many people stranded while waiting for rescue boats.
She also said some homes were burning and that not everyone had been evacuated, as some residents chose to remain behind to protect their properties despite the danger.
The wildfire remains active as firefighters continue battling multiple fire fronts and work to prevent the flames from spreading to additional communities.
