Two Firefighters Die in Greece as Wildfires Rage Across Europe

Deaths in Crete and mass evacuations in France, Spain, and Turkey highlight a devastating wildfire season fueled by extreme heat.

Talivio News · Global 30 July 2026, 09:25 2 min read

Two firefighters died on Wednesday while battling a wildfire on the Greek island of Crete. The deaths occurred in the Rethymno region, where the firefighters were found dead inside their vehicle in the Nea Krya Vrysi area. One of the victims was a seasonal firefighter; the other had five years of service at the Agia Fotini fire station.

The fire broke out around noon on Wednesday. Residents of Krya Vrysi, Saktouria, and Melampes were ordered to evacuate. Authorities mobilized resources including four helicopters and four aircraft. The Rethymno Arson Crime Investigation Unit is investigating the cause. Some reports mention three deaths in Greece, but the majority say two.

2 firefighters

Died in a wildfire on Crete on Wednesday

Today is an extremely difficult day for the Fire Department.

— Fire Department statement

The Crete fire is part of a broader crisis. In France, a wildfire in Gironde—roughly four times the size of Paris—led to the evacuation of more than 250,000 people over the weekend, among the largest such orders since World War II. More than 2,200 firefighters and over 20 aircraft were deployed. Investigators suspect brush-clearing near a high-voltage line may have started the blaze. Temperatures in Gironde were forecast to reach 40°C (104°F).

Across the region, extreme heat and drought have fueled fires. Europe is the world's fastest-warming continent, warming at more than twice the global average, according to the Copernicus climate service. Western Europe recorded its hottest June on record. In Spain, temperatures could reach 40°C in at least six regions; in France, the southwest expected up to 42°C.

In Spain, evacuation orders were lifted for about 20,000 people in the Madrid region, while 10,000 remained under orders in Castellón. In Turkey, wildfires were active in at least seven provinces, including Antalya and Muğla, according to Anadolu agency.

In Greece, approximately 2,000 tourists were evacuated from Agia Galini, and 29 people were rescued from the sea off Agios Pavlos by coastguard lifeboats. A pyrocumulonimbus cloud formed over the Crete fire—a phenomenon recorded for the first time in France in similar blazes.

More than 1,160 square kilometers (448 square miles) have burned across France in 2023. At the peak, roughly 330,000 people were displaced from homes and vacation sites across France and Spain.

Updates

Update — 30 July, 09:54

Authorities in Greece have initiated emergency measures including the activation of an online accommodation platform and the use of school buildings to supplement shelter capacity, with 700 individuals currently housed in a Phaistos sports hall. While evacuation figures from Agia Galini remain under dispute, the Coast Guard has successfully moved residents and tourists from Agios Pavlos and Triopetra by sea. Meanwhile, international developments include the evacuation of 600 people in Spain's Zamora province, five injuries reported in Valpaços, Portugal, and the classification of the Gironde fire as France's largest since 1949, having consumed 42,000 hectares.

Update — 30 July, 10:38

The death toll from wildfires has risen significantly, with 14 fatalities reported in Spain's Almeria fires and one additional woman dying from severe injuries in the same region. On Crete, the two firefighters previously reported dead were trapped between fire fronts, while two other responders sustained light injuries on the island and mainland. Massive evacuations continue across Europe; in France, tens of thousands of displaced residents have been permitted to return home, though reports regarding the exact number of returnees and total evacuees remain disputed. Additionally, new wildfires have emerged on the Greek islands of Paros and Lesbos, and in the Trifylia region, while emergency services in Greece have issued 16 alert messages to manage the ongoing crisis.

Sources