An out-of-control wildfire tore through the Kassandra peninsula in Halkidiki on Friday, forcing residents of Siviri and ...

An out-of-control wildfire tore through the Kassandra peninsula in Halkidiki on Friday, forcing residents of Siviri and Fourka to flee to the beach as their only escape route. The fire was described as completely uncontained, with flames cutting off road access and leaving hundreds stranded on the shoreline. Coast guard vessels and private boats rushed to the beach at Siviri to evacuate residents by sea. Video footage from the scene showed children, women, and elderly people scrambling onto boats however they could, desperate to reach safety. The evacuation was chaotic but ongoing, with both official and civilian watercraft taking part in the sea rescue. Kassandra, a narrow peninsula jutting into the Aegean, is a densely populated summer destination, making a land exit nearly impossible when roads are blocked by fire. Greek authorities had not yet issued an official casualty count at the time of reporting. The fire's rapid spread and the scale of the sea evacuation signal one of the more serious wildfire emergencies in the region this summer. #Halkidiki #Greece #Wildfire