In brief
A devastating wildfire near Liti, north‑west of Thessaloniki, has claimed two lives and injured a woman. The blaze, still expanding 5km long, prompted the evacuation of the village Melisochori and forced 100 firefighters and seven aircraft to fight the flames. The cause remains undetermined amid high fire‑risk conditions, with a 12‑year‑old child reported missing.
Two people have been found dead as an out‑of‑control wildfire burns in northern Greece, forcing residents of a nearby village to evacuate.
The body of a man was discovered in a charred area near Liti, about 15km (nine miles) north‑west of the city of Thessaloniki. A second body—yet to be identified—was found later in a house in a forested area near the village.
A woman rescued near the house suffered burn injuries and is now in stable condition in hospital, while a 12‑year‑old child is reported missing.
More than 100 firefighters, dozens of fire engines and at least seven aircraft are fighting to contain the fire, which has formed a 5km long wall of flame and keeps spreading.
The blaze broke out at about 14:30 local time (11:30 GMT) on Tuesday, with the cause still undecided. The region was under a high wildfire risk warning, and dry conditions combined with high winds have thwarted containment effort and caused flare‑ups.
Residents of Liti were urged to flee their homes, and Greek broadcaster ERT reported that a small number of properties had been damaged as the fire moved toward the nearby village of Melisochori that evening.
The missing child is believed to be the son of the man found dead earlier and of the injured woman.
This is Greece’s latest forest fire amid increasingly common summer droughts and heatwaves, and it comes just as the country prepares for peak tourist season.
