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More than 700 firefighters have been deployed as a serious forest fire rages out of control on the outskirts of the Greek capital, Athens. The historic Greek town of Marathon, is said to be “engulfed in flames”, with the population evacuated.
The Greek minister for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, Vassilis Kikilias, said: “Since yesterday afternoon, the residents of northeastern Attica have been facing an extremely dangerous wildfire that we have been battling for over 20 hours under dramatic conditions.
“These challenges are due to the strong winds, prolonged drought, and the very difficult and rugged terrain of dense, unburnt forest.
“Currently, a fierce battle is being waged on two fronts: one in the area of Kallitechnoupoli and the other in the area of Grammatikos.
“We will continue with all our strength until the fire is under control and every last hotspot is extinguished.”
The US Embassy in Athens has put out a warning urging travellers to “exercise extreme caution in affected areas”, saying: “The General Secretariat for Civil Protection has announced Very High Fire Risk (Risk Category 4) and Extreme Fire Risk (Risk Category 5) for many areas in Greece, including areas close to Athens.”
This is happening in the peak summer spell, so what are your rights if you are there or have a holiday booked?
Simon Calder, travel correspondent of The Independent, has some answers.
Are planes and ferries still running?
Yes. Flights are continuing normally for now at Athens airport: smoke can be seen from planes taking off.
The standard approach for arriving aircraft has been to loop around to the south of Athens, over the Saronic Gulf, and land from southwest to northeast.
Departing aircraft are taking off normally over the Petalioi Gulf.
There is no immediate threat to the airport as the area surrounding it is partly built up, and the open land has very little vegetation.
Three flights from London Heathrow landed at Eleftherios Venizelos in the early hours of Tuesday morning, and several more are under way: easyJet from London Gatwick, Ryanair from Luton and Jet2 from Manchester.
Jet2 is telling passengers: “We are aware of the wildfires affecting an area of Athens and are monitoring the situation closely.
“As it currently stands, Athens airport is still open and we are planning to operate our flights as planned.
"Please allow extra time for you journey to the airport, as there may be road closures in place.”
An easyJet spokesperson said: “Our flight schedule to and from Athens is currently operating as normal however we continue to closely monitor the situation and the advice of the relevant authorities.
“The safety and wellbeing of our passengers and crew is easyJet's highest priority.”
It’s a different story on the ferries. Greece’s coastguard has ordered all ferries going to and from the nearby port of Rafina to be diverted to the port of Lavrio, further south, due to the fire.
Rafina was where dozens of people were killed in wildfires in 2018.
What is the effect on ferry travel?
Rafina serves mainly the Cycladic islands and Crete. Lavrio is not such a large port, and it may struggle to handle the full complement of ferries that would normally serve Rafina.
Reports say that Superrunner Jet, Andros Queen, and Theologos P are among the ferries to be diverted.
For people who are travelling in the region, what’s the advice?
There has been no update from the UK Foreign Office in response to the latest fires, but the advice to British travellers to Greece remains the same as it has been all summer: “Call the Greek emergency services on 112 if you are in immediate danger.
“If you are in or near an area affected by wildfires, follow @112Greece for official updates.
“Follow the guidance of the emergency services.
“Contact your airline or travel operator who can assist you with return travel to the UK.”
The Australian ambassador to Greece, Alison Duncan, posted on X: “Dangerous conditions are forecast to continue. Avoid affected areas. Stay indoors with windows shut if there is smoke in your area.”
Activities are continuing as normal in Athens.
Can travellers come back early?
Holiday companies may allow customers to opt for an earlier return at no extra charge, but are unlikely to refund any of the cost of the abandoned part of the holiday.
Can people booked to travel imminently to Greece get a refund or move the holiday?
Under the Package Travel Regulations, holidaymakers can cancel for a refund “if unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances occur at the place of destination or its immediate vicinity which significantly affect the performance of the package or the carriage of passengers to the destination”.
In the case of Athens, it does not look as though the current situation looks like reasonable grounds to cancel.
Will travel insurance help?
If you have a health condition which you have declared to the travel insurer and which could be exacerbated by exposure to smoke in the atmosphere, you may be able to contend that you need to come home early or to cancel.
But there is no guarantee that a claim would be successful, and you should try to speak to your insurer, airline and holiday company before taking drastic action such as spending money on a new ticket.
Are travellers staying away from Greece and elsewhere in the Mediterranean?
The number of cheap deals around at the moment – such as a week in Corfu, flying from Manchester in peak season, for £342 per person – suggest they may be.
Extreme heat appears to be becoming a feature of some Mediterranean countries, especially in July and August.
If temperatures continue to rise, a more northerly destination will be more appropriate and less environmentally damaging.
The UK as a whole may be feeling some advantage as people are reluctant to go south. The real bargains, though, are to be found in Paris – where unprecedented summer deals are available.
