by Wildfires have broken out on the Greek islands of Zakynthos, Chios, Crete and Kos, as authorities warn that this summer could be “particularly dangerous” after a long drought.
In the Metohi area of Western Chios, tourists received alerts on their phones on Monday ordering them to evacuate because of the nearby wildfire. Residents and tourists in Kos took refuge in sports centers as a wildfire reached the seaside village of Kardamena, while an estimated 1,195 acres of forest burned on Zakynthos.
In recent weeks Greece has experienced its earliest ever heat wave, with temperatures above 43C recorded at central and southern weather stations. The country defines a heat wave as a period of temperatures above 38C.
During a cabinet meeting this week, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said: “It’s going to be a very dangerous summer. [for wildfires]… the hardest times are still ahead.”
“We had a particularly difficult June in terms of weather conditions, with high levels of drought and unusually strong winds for this season.”
Here’s everything you need to know about wildfires in Greece, whether it’s safe to visit, and what to do if you want to cancel your vacation.
Where are the wildfires at the moment?
Wildfires have been experienced on the popular tourist islands of Chios, Zakynthos, and Kos in recent days. Hundreds of firefighters, assisted by aircraft and helicopters, worked to put out blazes on the islands.
Clare Smith, 38, who is on holiday with her family at a resort near Kardamena, Kos, told Sky News the situation had “become much worse” on Monday with “thick plumes of black smoke” fall out into the sky.
“It’s very windy here, it’s going to be like a tinder box,” she said. “The sky is covered with smoke. You feel like you’re in the apocalypse, or some kind of war movie.”
On the island of Serifos, in the Western Cyclades, firefighters battled a fire that started in low vegetation on June 29 but was spread by strong winds. The fire damaged houses, warehouses and holiday homes.
In addition to the wildfires on the islands, two heavy wildfires were reported south of Athens.
How can I see exactly where the fires are?
Google Maps is a helpful resource for tracking the location of wildfires. Although not 100 percent accurate, the company uses a combination of SOS alerts, satellite sources and public alerts to outline the affected area. It also gives an estimate of how many acres were burned.
Google advises that the affected areas are close and advises users to check official sources for more information.
Which Greek islands had the worst wildfires last year?
In 2023, heavy wildfires swept across Greece and other parts of the Mediterranean, forcing thousands of tourists to evacuate popular holiday islands including Rhodes, Evia and Corfu.
Rhodes was particularly badly beaten. The island declared a state of emergency, with Jet2 and Tui canceling flights to the island due to safety concerns. Thousands of hotels across Rhodes – including in Kiotari, Gennadi, Plimiri, Lardos, Lindos, Pefkoi and Vlicha – were directly affected or closed due to the wildfires last year.
Is it safe to travel to Greece?
It is important to remember that summer wildfires are common in Greece, and are usually brought under control by helicopters and planes that send seawater over the area in question.
After a record year for wildfires, Greece began using drones for early detection of wildfires, with increased coordination between authorities and volunteer firefighters.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has not updated its advice for Greece. However, there is already a wildfire advisory in place in the country.
The FCDO says: “There is a high risk of wildfires during the summer season from April to October,” and it is recommended not to leave litter (especially glass), to ensure that all cigarettes are properly extinguished, and not to light barbecues. Tourists are advised to call 112 if they are in immediate danger.
British holidaymakers are also advised to follow @112Greece on X (formerly Twitter) and sign up for alerts from the Greek government’s Emergency Communications Service (in Greek).
I want to cancel my holiday – can I get a refund?
If you decide to cancel your package holiday within six weeks of departure, you will be subject to a 90 to 100 percent cancellation fee. The exception is if the FCDO updates its advice to warn against all but essential travel to the destination – in which case your tour operator is legally obliged to take you home or the tour to cancel and issue a full refund.
If you have booked your flights and accommodation independently, you will need to turn to your holiday insurance if you are unable to travel safely due to a wildfire.
According to travel insurance specialist PJ Hayman, many policies will usually include some form of natural disaster or disaster cover, which should reimburse any fire-related cancellation or curtailment costs, including pre-booked accommodation usually. It should also cover additional travel and accommodation costs incurred due to being able to respond to a fire in an emergency.
Note that the amount and details of cover will vary by policy, and some of the cheaper ones may not have exclusions or low limits. And also be aware that if you get travel insurance after a fire has already started, you are unlikely to be able to make a successful claim.
My holiday has been disrupted – can I claim compensation?
You will not be able to claim compensation if your holiday is canceled due to bushfires. This is because these qualify as “extraordinary circumstances” beyond the control of operators and airlines. If your holiday is cut short as a result of fires, write to your tour operator to outline the part of your holiday you have missed. If you do not get a satisfactory answer, take it up with ABTA or AITO who have dispute resolution services, or go through the Small Claims Court.
