Tourists on a beach as smoke from a wildfire drifts overhead in Siviri, Halkidiki, Greece, on August 13, 2026 (Picture: Konstantinos Tsakalidis/Bloomberg via Getty Images) It’s the busiest month of the year for travel. But wildfires sweeping southern Europe are raising safety fears — and now, all eyes are on Greece. Amid a punishing summer heatwave across the region, a three-kilometre wall of flames up to 30 metres high forced hundreds of holidaymakers into the sea off northern Greece on Thursday, August 13. More than 200 firefighters, water-bombing planes and helicopters battled to stop a blaze spreading across the Halkidiki peninsula, south of Greece’s second city, Thessaloniki. Within hours, the fire bore down on homes near the popular resorts of Siviri and Fourka, packed with tourists and surrounded by dry pine forests. Hundreds of people in swimwear, many carrying children in their arms, were evacuated by sea in small boats and coast guard and fire brigade vessels, according to fire service officials and local TV. Greece is badly hit by wildfires every year. Experts say the risk is growing because of human-fuelled climate change that has made droughts and other weather conditions more extreme. But is it still safe to travel if you have a holiday booked? Where are the wildfires in Greece right now? While the chances of being caught in a wildfire are slim, it’s important to know which areas are currently affected by or at risk of them. Large parts of southern Greece are already at an ‘extreme’ or ‘very high’ risk of wildfires, with the risk zones expected to expand as temperatures rise. Firemen work to extinguish a fire that broke out at a livestock facility near Kouvaras, south of Athens, on August 10, 2026 (Picture:Aris MESSINIS / AFP via Getty Images) Greek authorities declared a category 4 threat on Monday in several regions, including: Greater Athens Attica Crete the Peloponnese How are the Greece wildfires starting? Europe is suffering its hottest summer on record, with average temperatures 2.79C higher than the 1991 to 2020 average. But while heatwaves create tinderbox conditions with searing temperatures and scorched earth, experts say there are other reasons for some of the fires. Wildfires started by sparks from the state electricity grid have reportedly been responsible for as much as 75% of the land burned in Greece this year, according to data from the Fire Service’s Arson Crimes Directorate. Smoke rises during a wildfire, south of Rethymno in Crete on July 30, 2026 (Picture: Costas METAXAKIS / AFP via Getty Images) The research raises questions about the safety of Greece’s infrastructure in fire-prone areas, and the austerity measures which have seen massive cuts to fire prevention staff over the last decade. UK Foreign Office’s latest Greece travel advice As it does every year, the UK Foreign Office warns British citizens of a high risk of wildfires during the summer season from April to October. They advise anyone travelling to Greece to register for official emergency alerts, which warns of wildfires near your location. Here’s how to do this: on iPhones, go to Settings > Notifications and enable the ‘Emergency Alerts’ option at the bottom on Android 11 and higher, go to Settings > Notifications > Advanced Settings > Wireless Emergency Alerts on Samsung devices, go to Settings > Apps > Messages > Notifications > Emergency Notifications and enable the ‘Emergency Alerts’ option This will allow the Greek government’s Emergency Communication Service alerts to reach you. Always keep your phone with you as you will receive alerts according to the location of your phone. The Foreign Office urges travellers to be responsible and self-aware. A fire-damaged house during a wildfire in Siviri, Halkidiki, Greece, on August 13, 2026 (Picture: Konstantinos Tsakalidis/Bloomberg via Getty Images) To avoid starting fires, they ask everyone to collect litter (especially glass), make sure cigarettes are properly extinguished and not to light barbecues. If you are in immediate danger, call the Greek emergency services on 112. Beyond that, it always pays to be prepared. The FCDO recommends having a grab bag ready with essentials such as: passports/ID cards mobile phones and device chargers money and bank cards insurance and other important documents essential medicine and prescription details.