Wildfires continued to challenge firefighting efforts in Greece on Monday, as flames flared up again near villages west of Athens despite a temporary easing of winds and the deployment of water-bombing aircraft. The fires, which have been burning for several days, have scorched thousands of hectares of forest, scrubland, and farmland, affecting areas around Kandyli, Megara, and Agia Skepi, approximately 30 to 50 kilometers west of the Greek capital.

Fire officials reported a slight improvement in conditions early Monday due to lighter winds that allowed aerial firefighting operations to resume. The fire service deployed around 450 firefighters supported by 12 helicopters and between 13 to 16 aircraft specialized in water bombing, focusing on regions in Boeotia and Attica. Still, they cautioned that active and smoldering hotspots remained widespread. Strong gusts and rising hot air currents led to flare-ups during the afternoon, particularly near the village of Kandyli, where fires periodically shifted direction, threatening nearby industrial zones. Authorities issued new evacuation orders for some villages in the affected area as precautionary measures.

Officials stressed that while conditions had improved compared to previous days, there was no reason to lower vigilance due to the fire’s unpredictable behavior. “Vast areas affected by fire still contain active or smoldering hotspots, which require constant monitoring,” said fire department spokesperson Yannis Artopios. Meteorologists and wildfire experts described the situation as one of the worst wildfire crises in the past decade for the region. Temperatures are forecast to rise as high as 37 degrees Celsius later in the week, which could further dry out vegetation and complicate firefighting operations.

The wildfires have resulted in five fatalities since last week. Tragically, on Sunday, two Bell helicopters collided during firefighting operations near Psatha. The crash killed a Danish pilot and a Greek co-pilot aboard one of the helicopters, while the British pilot and Greek co-pilot of the other aircraft survived but were hospitalized. An official investigation is ongoing, and all Bell helicopters participating in the firefighting efforts have been temporarily grounded. The helicopters were leased from Australia’s McDermott Aviation, a company that has supported Greek wildfire suppression for several years.

Additionally, three firefighters lost their lives last week combating separate wildfires on Crete and in the Peloponnese region. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis warned that Greece is facing “extremely difficult” days ahead as high temperatures and dry conditions persist, fueling the fires.

According to the European Union’s Copernicus Earth observation programme, more than 12,000 hectares of forest and agricultural land have burned over the past week. While most of the damage has been to natural and agricultural areas, including extensive olive groves, very few homes or businesses have been destroyed so far.

Elsewhere, other smaller fires across Greece, such as one on the island of Cephalonia in the Ionian Sea, have largely been contained. However, the ongoing situation west of Athens remains volatile, with authorities maintaining heightened alertness amid persistent fire risks.