A major wildfire tore through the Boeotia region of central Greece on July 31, cutting off the coastal village of Agios ...

A major wildfire tore through the Boeotia region of central Greece on July 31, cutting off the coastal village of Agios Vasileios and forcing a sea evacuation of 229 residents and vacationers. Strong winds have been driving the fire and making containment efforts extremely difficult, with firefighting crews still battling active fronts across the region. The Greek Coast Guard coordinated the entire operation from its Operations Center, deploying five private vessels, a tugboat, and a Fire Service vessel to pull people off the beach. A Coast Guard patrol boat and an additional Fire Service ship also rushed to the scene. The evacuees were transported safely and brought ashore at Livadostra. Twenty-five of those rescued, mostly elderly, remain temporarily aboard the Coast Guard patrol vessel because they are having difficulty disembarking. Efforts to transfer them safely to land were still underway at the time of reporting. The operation involved the Coast Guard, the Fire Service, the Region of Central Greece, and the local municipality. Civil Protection authorities have placed the area on heightened alert due to the extreme wind conditions fueling the blaze. Firefighting crews continue to battle the flames across multiple fronts in Boeotia as authorities work to keep the situation from spreading further. #Greece #Wildfire #Boeotia