Chios wildfires spread on three fronts – Homes at risk

Wildfires that broke out yesterday afternoon in northern Chios continue to rage. On site are 190 firefighters with 38 vehicles, while at first light, five aerial units (four aircraft and one helicopter) took to the skies to assist.

Firefighters, alongside local residents, fought through the night to protect homes from the flames. However, strong winds continue to blow in the area. Meanwhile, parts of Chios town and areas further north have been left without electricity since midday yesterday.

Overnight, firefighters focused efforts on the southern and southwestern parts of the fire near Chalkio and Dafnonas, while the northern front near Vrontados also posed a serious threat, with flames burning through the suburban outskirts.

According to the fire service, the fire fronts are scattered, affecting both forest and agricultural land. As of now, there is no official update on whether any homes have been destroyed.

According to statements made to protothema.gr by the island’s Deputy Mayor of Tourism and Sports, Giorgos Christakis—who took part in the latest coordination meeting between the Fire Service and the Police—the fire has moved from the area of Vrontados toward the leprosarium area in Kofinas.

“The Kofinas area is uninhabited, and ground forces from the Fire Service are operating there,” Mr Christakis said, adding that the Vrontados area remains without power for many hours, significantly impacting both daily life and operational readiness.

The flames are spread across three main areas:

From Karyes towards Kleidou
From Vrontados, Agios Markos and Agios Makarios, where consecutive 112 emergency alerts were issued
From Korakari, moving towards both the town centre and southern Chios

In Agios Makarios, the flames reached the first houses, with residents and volunteers doing everything they could to hold them back.

Strong firefighting presence on the island

Despite a coordinated aerial firefighting effort involving 14 aircraft throughout the day, once darkness fell and the aircraft were grounded, the island was left vulnerable to the power of strong winds that drove the fire fronts out of control.

Reinforcements from Thessaloniki and Piraeus arrived on the island early in the morning. A total of 190 firefighters with 38 vehicles are now deployed.

Specifically, the SUPERRUNNERJET 2 departed from Drapetsona carrying 10 fire engines and 20 firefighters, while the Ariadne ferry transported a bus, five fire engines and 35 firefighters to support efforts around Chios town.

Chios MP Notis Mitarachi is stationed at the Operations Centre of the Ministry for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, together with Deputy Minister Evangelos Tournas, overseeing the firefighting efforts. As announced, 11 helicopters remained stationed in Chios, ready to resume operations from 6:00am.