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2mo ago

Wildfires Persist in Greece, Turkey and Syria as International Crews Boost Containment

Crete wildfires are under control; western Turkey blazes are largely contained; Evia island plus Syria’s Latakia province remain on high alert with expanding foreign assistance.

Emergency responders with the Syrian Civil Defense, known as the White Helmets, work to extinguish a wildfire near the town of Rabia, in Syria's Latakia countryside, early Monday, July 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)
Emergency responders with the Syrian Civil Defense, also known as the White Helmets, work to extinguish a wildfire in the town of Rabia, in the Latakia countryside, Syria, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)
Smoke billowing from a forest fire in the coastal Syrian province of Latakia on Saturday.
Syrian firefighters battle wildfires sweeping through the forests of Latakia, Syria, on Saturday.

Overview

  • Fires in Crete and western Turkey have been brought largely under control after comprehensive firefighting efforts.
  • Active wildfires on Evia island continue to threaten villages, prompting evacuations of Tsakeoi and Limnionas and deployment of over 160 firefighters.
  • Syria’s Latakia wildfires have consumed roughly 10,000 hectares of forest and farmland with Turkish aircraft, Jordanian teams and UN units joining local crews.
  • Turkish Interior Ministry reports 44 arrests in connection with 65 separate blazes since late June as authorities investigate suspected arson cases.
  • Experts warn that record-breaking heat, prolonged drought and strong winds driven by climate change are intensifying wildfire frequency and scale.