Sea rescues and scorched hillsides: Mediterranean wildfires drive mass evacuations as heat and wind supercharge the flames

A searing heatwave and gale‑pushed fire weather have turned large stretches of the Mediterranean into active disaster zones, forcing hurried evacuations on beaches, in villages and on the fringes of major cities.

Through the weekend and into Monday, emergency services in Italy, Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria battled dozens of blazes at once, while Cyprus counted dead and razed homes after a mid‑week inferno. Authorities warn that with temperatures nudging 44 °C and winds forecast to persist, the danger remains high.

On Sardinia’s southeast coast the drama unfolded on the sand itself. A fast‑moving fire above Villasimius cut off road exits and sent smoke billowing over the shoreline, leaving holiday‑makers no route out but the sea.

Coastguard craft and private boats shuttled people away from Punta Molentis; Reuters reported “dozens” plucked from the beach, while the regional daily Unione Sarda counted around 200 evacuees, including 12 children and a pregnant woman.

Parked cars burned as the wind drove flames down the scrubby slopes, underlining how quickly escape corridors can vanish when conditions flip.

Greece described a “titanic battle” as firefighters raced between fronts from Kryoneri, just north of Athens, to Evia, Crete and Kythera.

Parts of the capital’s outskirts were ordered to evacuate; two engines were damaged and at least five to six firefighters were hospitalized during operations.

The government activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism for additional aircraft as smoke drifted into central Athens and labour authorities paused outdoor work through the hottest hours of the day. With more than 50 fires in 24 hours, commanders warned that any lull could prove temporary while fuels remain tinder‑dry.

Turkey faced the deadliest toll. Fanned by record heat — 50.5 °C was registered in Şırnak’s Silopi — and relentless winds, fires surged toward Bursa, the country’s fourth‑largest city, prompting evacuations of more than 3,000 people and cloaking neighbourhoods in thick smoke.

Over recent weeks at least 17 people have died, including 10 forestry workers and rescuers killed in a single blaze near Eskişehir, a firefighter who suffered a heart attack, and volunteers whose tanker overturned en route to the fire line. Ankara declared disaster zones in several provinces and has opened dozens of investigations amid allegations of arson.

To the north, Bulgaria reported more than 230 active fire fronts and placed 11 regions on red alert. Brussels dispatched two planes and four helicopters to reinforce national crews, as hot, gusty conditions pushed flames through forest and farmland east of the Turkish border. Neighbouring Albania also requested EU help.

The week had already brought grim scenes to Cyprus, where a wind‑driven blaze near Limassol killed two people, destroyed homes and forced the evacuation of several villages at the onset of that island’s own heatwave.

Firefighters there warned that overlapping extremes — heat, drought and wind — were creating “unprecedented” behaviour at the fire front.

Travel disruption has been uneven but persistent. Italian civil‑protection officials cautioned that sudden wind shifts can close roads without warning, forcing last‑resort maritime evacuations such as those staged off Villasimius.

Greek authorities urged tourists to keep phones charged, subscribe to local alert systems and comply immediately with evacuation orders; UK carriers said flights were continuing but advised travellers to monitor notices closely and review insurance coverage for wildfire disruption.

Scientists say the pattern matches a warming Mediterranean in which compound extremes arrive more often and earlier in the season.

Recent assessments highlight a sharp rise in the frequency of severe heatwaves since 2000 and a widening window of days with “extreme fire danger.”

Policymakers now face the twin challenge of scaling rapid‑response capacity — aircraft, trained crews, cross‑border mutual aid — while hardening landscapes and settlements to withstand hotter, windier summers.

For the moment, officials across the basin stress the same simple guidance: register for alerts, keep vehicles fueled, pack essentials, and be ready to move fast if sirens sound.