Rethymno launches compensation applications for fire‑damaged businesses

A large wildfire swept the municipality of Agios Vasileios in southern Rethymno from 29 July to 1 August 2026, causing extensive damage to private and public assets.

The Regional Unit of Rethymno has begun field inspections, with Crete regional committees conducting auto‑inspections and coordinating with the mayor, the president of the Panhellenic Federation of Geotechnical Public Employees (POEGDY), and Deputy Regional Governor Maria Lioni.

Businesses located in the municipal units of Lambis and Phoinika – including workshops, shops, individual enterprises, freelancers, fishing and aquaculture operations, as well as public, municipal and charitable entities and agricultural holdings – are being asked to submit applications for state aid under Law 4797/2021. The aid covers material losses to equipment, raw materials, inventory, vehicles, production means, capital guarantees and stored products. Applicants must provide a detailed damage description, photographic or video evidence, quantitative loss data and precise location information; agricultural holdings must also submit a copy of the Farmers’ Registry and the latest Unified Support Request.

The deadline for electronic applications is Thursday 1 October 2026. Authorities stress that owners must fully document damage before any repair work to facilitate the assessment by the state‑aid committee.