Deadly wildfire on Salamina: Scenarios under investigation over the two fire fronts
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Salamina was engulfed in flames within minutes on Sunday afternoon, as the wildfire tore through homes and forested areas in Peristeria and Selinia, while firefighters discovered the bodies of two elderly people.
- 17 Αυγούστου 2026 11:09
The two wildfires that broke out and spread rapidly on Salamina on Sunday afternoon (16/8) had a tragic outcome, claiming the lives of two elderly people.
The victims, a couple aged 91 and 72, were found dead by firefighters inside their home, which was located just a short distance from where the blaze is believed to have started in the Peristeria area.
Ten people were also injured, most of them suffering burns, although none are considered to be in danger. Several homes were also destroyed by the flames.
On Monday morning (17/8), firefighters were dealing with no active fire front in the Peristeria area, while the same was true of the second wildfire that broke out in Selinia.
However, crews remain at the scene in case of flare-ups, with 260 firefighters continuing operations, supported by 15 teams of the 1st EMODE forest commandos, 58 vehicles and volunteers. Water tankers and heavy machinery from the Municipality of Salamina and the Region of Attica are also assisting. In cooperation with the Forestry Service, crews are creating firebreaks.
How the fires started
According to the evidence gathered so far, the wildfire in Peristeria on Salamina appears to have started on a rubbish-filled plot of land near Andromachis Street.
More specifically, according to Fire Service sources, a resident of Andromachis Street who reported the fire to the Fire Service at 14:43 testified that the blaze had started on a nearby plot on Andromachis Street that was filled with rubbish.
The cause of the fire, together with that of the second blaze, which broke out just minutes later at 15:03 in the Kaki Vigla area of Selinia, is being investigated by the Directorate for Combating Arson Crimes, as the fire fronts spread rapidly.
As for the fire in Selinia, it may have started following a vehicle malfunction. Dry grass, forest vegetation and construction debris were present at the site, causing the fire from the vehicle to spread rapidly to the surrounding area and grow in intensity.
Hundreds evacuated by sea
Meanwhile, according to the Hellenic Coast Guard, the operation to evacuate residents from the areas of Saterli and Kolones was completed on Sunday night (16/8), with a total of 593 people evacuated by sea.
The final 22 evacuees were transported by a passenger-vehicle ferry to the port of Paloukia.
Two Hellenic Coast Guard vessels and one Fire Service vessel remained in the area to provide assistance and monitor conditions.
Damage inspections to begin immediately
Deputy Minister for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Kostas Katsafados is expected to travel to Salamina at noon on Monday (17/8), where he will hold a meeting with the municipal authorities and relevant agencies on the immediate restoration of damage and compensation for those affected by the wildfires that broke out on the island.
It was announced that the state mechanism has already been mobilised and inspection teams from the General Directorate for the Restoration of Natural Disaster Impacts (GDAEFK) will immediately begin assessing and recording the damage in cooperation with the Municipality of Salamina.
Kostas Katsafados, accompanied by Secretary-General for Natural Disaster Recovery Petros Kampouris, will hold a meeting at Salamina Town Hall at noon with the mayor and all relevant agencies, where procedures for restoring the damage will be discussed.
