Athens, August 13. Authorities in Greece have recovered a charred body inside the headquarters of a company located in the urban area of Vrilisia, in northern Athens. The site was engulfed by a large fire that has since been brought under control, though firefighters remain vigilant as residual hotspots and shifting winds could rekindle flames.
The initial assessments by investigators suggest the victim could be a 60-year-old woman, the owner of the company where the body was found, though confirmation remains pending due to the condition in which the remains were discovered, according to a fire department spokesperson.
Efforts to combat the blaze have markedly improved since yesterday. The focus has shifted from an active front to numerous smaller, scattered outbreaks that still require constant monitoring.
More than 700 firefighters, supported by 200 fire engines, six aircraft and an equivalent number of tanker helicopters, continue operations in the region to prevent gusts of wind from re-igniting the flames.
The fire, which broke out on Sunday in the town of Varnava, about 40 kilometers north of Athens, rapidly spread toward the south and reached the city’s urban fabric. The incident forced the evacuation of more than 50,000 residents and burned over 10,000 hectares of land.
Terrifying footage from Greek press outlets shows vast tracts of forest reduced to smoldering charcoal, alongside dozens of homes, businesses, and vehicles affected by the blaze.
On Tuesday, additional aerial and ground resources were expected to arrive. Reinforcements from France, Italy, Serbia, the Czech Republic, Turkey, and Romania were activated through the European Union’s Civil Protection Mechanism, according to Efsyn.
According to the portal Newsit.gr, more than 30 people were hospitalized with respiratory problems as a result of smoke exposure.
A firefighter was admitted to hospital with severe burns to the feet and hands, another sustained minor burns, the fire service reported.
Three hospitals — one pediatric facility with 24 children, a military hospital, and a third with 23 patients — along with several children’s camps, were evacuated from the Penteli area as a precaution.
Although wildfires near Athens are a common summer hazard, this incident marks the first time the flames have approached the city center and impacted its urban core.
While temperatures have returned to seasonal norms, Greece faced two extreme heat waves in June and July that pushed some regions above 44 degrees Celsius. The intense heat dried vegetation and heightened fire risk, contributing to the scale of this event.
Last year’s blazing season was equally devastating, with dozens of fires burning a record 160,000 hectares, accounting for about 1.21 percent of the country’s territory, and claiming 28 lives.
As investigators continue to determine the exact cause and scope of the current fire, residents and authorities remain focused on preventing further spread, protecting communities, and restoring the affected areas. Emergency services stress the importance of clear evacuation routes, early warning systems, and coordinated cross-border support when extreme weather tests readiness again.