Wildfires Rage in Greece and France Amidst Tragic Loss of Air Crew
Five water-dropping planes and five helicopters were deployed to battle a major wildfire west of Athens, Greece. The operation began after two crew members died in a mid-air collision between two firefighting helicopters the previous day while tackling the same…
Houston, TX, August 3, 2026 —
A significant wildfire west of Athens, Greece, is being combatted by an aerial fleet of five water-dropping planes and five helicopters. The deployment of these resources follows a tragic incident on the previous day, when two crew members lost their lives in a mid-air collision involving two firefighting helicopters that were working to suppress the same blaze.
The fire, which initially ignited on Friday, has spread rapidly through pine forests and scrubland. Strong winds have reportedly exacerbated the situation, fanning the flames and hindering containment efforts. As the fire line advanced, further evacuations were mandated for residents in the encroaching areas.
In a separate but related development, a large wildfire that had been burning near Bordeaux, France, has reportedly been contained. This French blaze had previously necessitated the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people from the affected region.
Story summarized from the original created by AP on apnews.com, see more information here.
Media gallery
