File:East Attica Wildfire, Greece (MODIS 2024-08-15).jpg

English: High temperatures and gusting wind fanned the flame of destructive wildfires near Attica, Greece in August 2024. Several fires have ignited since August 10, with the largest roaring to life and spreading over 10,630 hectares by August 13, according to a report on ReliefWeb. The largest fire has severely damaged parts of North Athens. One person has been killed in Vrilissia municipality in the North Athens region and 18 people injured. Thousands have been evacuated in Varnavas, Marathon, Penteli, and Dionysos municipalities including those in three hospitals in Penteli, according to ReliefWeb.

The fire was so intense that on August 12, Greece activated the Union Civil Protection Mechanism, summoning aid from other European Union countries. Italy, France, Serbia, Czechia, Romania, Türkiye, and Moldova are among the countries helping Greece fight the fires.

By August 14, most of the fire front had been dampened by aggressive firefighting, according to media reports. Crews will continue to work the scene and quash any re-ignition, especially since fire weather is considered extreme. High temperatures around 40°C (104°F) are expected on August 15, with a forecast for strong wind gusts.

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired a true-color image of the fire in the East Attica region. Attica spans about 3,808 square kilometers (2,470 square miles) and contains Athens as well as several other cities. Red hotspots in the image show actively burning fire and copious gray smoke pours from the fire to the southeast. When this image was acquired, the large fire was actively burning on several different fronts.