Crete wildfires response August 2026 – Sitia fire contained

A wildfire swept through the village of Fichti on Crete’s southern coast on 31 July, driven by strong winds across olive groves and homes. Firefighters, aided by local volunteers and coordinated by the Municipality of Argos-Mykines, contained the blaze, preventing any loss of life but causing significant damage to crops and biodiversity. The incident was part of a broader wave of large fires across Greece that had already claimed three firefighters elsewhere.

On 7 August, a second fire ignited in the Achladia area of Sitia, near a wind-turbine park. Strong winds again hampered the effort, but about 40 firefighters, two specialist forest-operations teams, volunteers and eleven fire engines, supported by municipal water pumps, kept the fire from spreading beyond its origin. The site was classified as high-risk (category 3) and an arson investigation unit was opened.

By early Saturday morning the fire front had been extinguished; authorities reported no evacuations were needed and that the blaze started within a fenced area. It was the third fire in the wider Sitia region within 48 hours, prompting continued monitoring through the night as weather conditions could reignite the fire.