A large wildfire broke out uncontrollably on the northern outskirts of the Greek capital on Monday, leading to the evacuation of several suburbs of Athens and surrounding areas as strong winds hampered the efforts of hundreds of firefighters and dozens of aircraft that were dropping water.

In the face of a rapidly moving massive fire that sent flames soaring to heights sometimes exceeding 25 meters (80 feet), Greece requested assistance from other countries, triggering the activation of the mutual civil protection mechanism in Europe.

The fire, which started on Sunday afternoon, destroyed homes and sent a cloud of smoke and ash over central Athens, where the smell of burning lingered in the air. Power outages were reported in several parts of the capital, affecting traffic signals at major intersections in the center.

French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin stated that France would send a helicopter, 180 civil security personnel, and 55 fire engines. The Greek Civil Protection Authority said Italy would send two aircraft to drop water, and the Czech Republic would send 75 firefighters and 25 vehicles, while Spain and Turkey were finalizing reinforcements to send to Greece.

The wildfires spread quickly through the pine forests that had been left dry by repeated heatwaves this summer. June and July of this year were the hottest months ever recorded in Greece, which also experienced its hottest winter on record.

Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Vassilis Kikilias stated on Monday morning that authorities were facing "an exceptionally serious fire, which we have been fighting for over 20 hours under tragic conditions." Kikilias noted that the fire was primarily active on two separate fronts, with some parts in areas particularly difficult to access on the mountain northeast of Athens.

A children's hospital, a military hospital, two monasteries, and a children's home were evacuated, while another hospital was scheduled for evacuation on Monday afternoon. More than twenty emergency alerts were sent to mobile phones in the area warning people to escape, as homes burned in several areas, although the exact number was not immediately clear.

Spyros Gourilas, a resident of the Dionysos area, who poured water on his home to save it from the flames, said, "The winds were blowing one way and then the other. The smoke was suffocating. You couldn't see. Your eyes were watering. You couldn't breathe. You couldn't see the house." He added, "Even the helicopter that dropped water, you couldn't see it. You could only hear its sound, nothing else."

Evacuation orders were issued throughout the day for more suburbs of Athens as strong winds continued unabated. Fire Department spokesman Colonel Vasilios Vathrakogianis stated that authorities faced over 40 ignitions since the early hours of Monday morning in areas where the fire had somewhat calmed down.

The fire department reported that 685 firefighters, supported by 27 specialized teams trained to deal with wildfires, including more than 80 military personnel, were battling the flames. More than 190 vehicles were deployed, with aerial support from 17 water-dropping aircraft and 16 helicopters.

Vathrakogianis stated that three hospitals in Athens were on high alert, while paramedics and ambulances treated two firefighters—one for minor burns and the other for breathing problems—and 13 civilians for breathing issues. The Athens Medical Association urged residents near affected areas to exercise caution, especially those suffering from chronic illnesses, the elderly, pregnant women, small children, and those with respiratory and heart problems.

The Greek Coast Guard rerouted all ferries traveling to and from the nearby port of Rafina, which mainly serves the Cyclades and Crete, to Lavrio port due to the fire, while authorities provided temporary shelter for displaced persons in gymnasiums and hotels.

The police department reported that 380 police officers with 77 vehicles, 36 motorcycles, three buses, and four vans assisted in evacuation operations, and by mid-morning, they helped transport more than 250 people away from the path of the flames. They posted a video on their social media channels showing police officers carrying elderly individuals in their arms out of homes and to waiting vehicles, against a backdrop of the nighttime sky turned red from the fire and smoke.

The fire department urged residents to follow evacuation orders, as authorities noted that some individuals who refused to leave their homes later became trapped and required rescue, putting firefighters' lives at risk.

Meteorologists and government officials warned of an increased risk of wildfires due to weather conditions from Sunday to Thursday, with half of the country placed under high alert for wildfire risk.

Wildfires are common in Greece during its hot, dry summers, but authorities stated that climate change is fueling larger and more frequent fires. In 2018, a massive fire swept through the coastal town of Mati, east of Athens, trapping people in their homes and on roads as they tried to escape in their vehicles. More than 100 people died, including some who drowned while trying to swim away from the flames.

Last year, wildfires in Greece resulted in the deaths of more than 20 people, including 18 migrants who were trapped by the flames while walking through a forest in northeastern Greece and were caught in a massive fire that lasted more than two weeks.