Boeotia wildfires force sea evacuation of 254 citizens
A major wildfire broke out in the forested area of Kalamaki - Agios Vasileios, Kithairon, Boeotia, on July 31, 2026, at 09:04. The rapid spread of the flames cut off road access to the settlement, making land evacuation impossible and necessitating a complex sea rescue operation.
Following a 112 emergency alert issued at 09:37, the Fire Service coordinated a maritime evacuation of 254 citizens from the Agios Vasileios pier. The operation utilized firefighting vessels RAFNAR 22 and 'MOUZAKITIS', a Coast Guard vessel, two tugboats, and five private boats. Of the evacuated, 238 were transported to Livadostrata beach and 16 to the port of Antikyra.
Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, Evangelos Tournas, reported that Greece has faced over 400 fires in the last ten days, noting that approximately 90% of recent incidents are attributed to negligence. Authorities have issued 680 fines and made over 274 arrests. High temperatures and strong winds continue to pose a significant threat to the region.
Entities: Agios Vasileios · Boeotia · Evangelos Tournas · Fanis Spanos · Fire Service · Fire Service of Greece · Greek Fire Service · Kithairon · Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 10 SOURCES] A preventative evacuation message was issued by 112 at 09:37. (112 Emergency Service)
- [● 10 SOURCES] A total of 254 citizens were evacuated by sea from the Agios Vasileios pier. (The Fire Service)
- [● 10 SOURCES] The fire broke out on July 31, 2026, at 09:04 in a forested area of Kalamaki - Agios Vasileios, Kithairon, Boeotia. (The Fire Service)
- [● 10 SOURCES] Of the evacuated, 238 were transported to Livadostrata beach and 16 to the port of Antikyra. (The Fire Service)
- [● 10 SOURCES] The rescue operation was particularly demanding and complex due to immediate threats from flames. (The Fire Service)
- [● 10 SOURCES] Rapid fire spread cut off road access, making evacuation by land impossible. (The Fire Service)
- [● 10 SOURCES] Five private boats assisted in the sea evacuation of citizens. (The Fire Service)
- [● 10 SOURCES] Firefighting vessels used in the operation included RAFNAR 22, 'MOUZAKITIS', one Coast Guard vessel, and two tugboats. (The Fire Service)