Sea Evacuation Rescues 481 From Greece Wildfire

A massive wildfire forced the evacuation of nearly 500 people by sea from beaches in northern Greece on Thursday, as strong winds fueled a fast-moving blaze that threatened popular tourist resorts on the Halkidiki peninsula. The fire, which broke out near the towns of Siviri and Fourka on the Kassandra peninsula, prompted a large-scale emergency response involving waterbombing aircraft, hundreds of firefighters, and a coordinated maritime rescue.

The fire erupted in the afternoon and quickly advanced toward the coastal resorts, which were packed with summer tourists. Authorities determined that evacuating by road was too dangerous as flames approached the beaches and smoke filled the sky, leading to gridlocked traffic on escape routes. Instead, the Greek Coast Guard and other vessels executed a sea evacuation. A total of 481 people were rescued from Siviri Beach, with 285 transported to the nearby Sani marina and 196 others taken to the port of Thessaloniki aboard the high-speed ferry Speedrunner Jet. The operation involved Coast Guard patrol boats, Fire Service vessels, private fishing boats, and the ferry.

More than 200 firefighters, supported by nine waterbombing airplanes...