Proposal sought for worker radiation safety directive by Commission on risk mitigation.
Wildfires Ravage Greece and Spain, EU Steps In to Aid Firefighting Efforts
Extreme heatwaves have led to severe forest fires in Greece and Spain, causing widespread destruction and evacuations. As of late August 2025, the situation remains critical, with hot, dry weather forecasted to continue.
Greece:
Multiple large fires are burning across regions including Evia, Peloponnese, Crete, and Chios. Efforts to control the blazes are ongoing, with hundreds of firefighters, aircraft, and volunteers involved. Casualties reported include a few injuries, but fortunately, no confirmed fatalities so far. Several villages have been evacuated to protect residents from advancing fires. The Greek government has requested EU assistance.
The island of Chios remains a significant challenge due to ongoing fires. Kostas Tsingas, chairman of the Association of Fire Officers, expressed hope that nighttime ground work and targeted morning firefighting flights would contribute to stabilization. The fires have affected the island of Chios, the Patras area, the island of Zakynthos, and the northwest of the country. The situation on the island of Zakynthos has improved, with the fire now under control.
A hospital and a nursing home were evacuated in the region around Patras due to strong smoke from wildfires the previous day. No fire front was present in the Patras region on Thursday, but firefighters remain on site due to the risk of embers reigniting.
Initial estimates suggest more than 10,000 hectares of agricultural land, forests, and bushland have been destroyed by fires in Greece since Monday.
Spain:
Spain is battling multiple wildfires mainly in Andalusia, Castilla-La Mancha, and Catalonia. Thousands of hectares have been scorched, with evacuations affecting several thousand people. Authorities report a few deaths and numerous injuries related to the fires and smoke inhalation.
Spain's Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska announced that the country has requested EU assistance for wildfire control. Firefighting resources are stretched, but additional help is arriving from neighboring countries. Spain has burned a larger area than the entire previous year due to wildfires.
Thousands of people have fled their homes in Spain due to wildfires. The death toll this week in Spain due to wildfires has risen to three.
EU Assistance:
The European Union has activated its Civil Protection Mechanism, sending additional firefighting aircraft, personnel, and equipment to both Greece and Spain. EU funds are being mobilized for emergency response and recovery operations.
Spain will soon receive two firefighting aircraft through the European mechanism for civil protection. Despite a slight improvement, authorities in Greece have not given an all-clear due to ongoing wildfires. The decreasing winds on Thursday are expected to make the day much more favorable for firefighting efforts compared to previous days.
Authorities urge caution and preparedness as firefighting continues. Kostas Tsingas expressed hope that nighttime ground work and targeted morning firefighting flights would contribute to stabilization.
The European Union orchestrates aid in the form of firefighting aircraft, personnel, and equipment to both Greece and Spain, in an attempt to control rampant wildfires. Unfortunately, the island of Chios in Greece sees continuous fires, causing significant concern for firefighters, who are extensively partnered with environmental-science experts. Climate-change discussions are increasingly a part of general-news discourse, and the severe wildfires in Greece and Spain have joined the conversation, with many questioning politics' influence on the implementation of preventive measures. As Spain struggles with a higher death toll due to the progressing wildfires, it brings to light the urgent need for better coordination between various levels of government and science to combat this environmental crisis.
