A Dutch tourist named Nick was startled during his honeymoon in Greece when he looked outside at night and saw a wildfire, according to a report by Dutch outlet de Stentor. The incident occurred during a period of intense fire activity across the country.
De Stentor’s report on Nick’s experience comes as Greece faces a wave of wildfires. The same weekend, emergency services were responding to roughly 70 blazes nationwide, with one fire forcing evacuations in a suburb of Athens, as reported by NU. Another new forest fire near Athens also led to partial evacuations of a suburb, according to de Volkskrant.
The fires have also affected tourists in other parts of Greece. A 30-year-old from the Dutch town of Emmen, identified as Dian, escaped a wall of flames on the island of Crete, telling DVHN that a woman may have saved his life. Separately, a woman named Erica was evacuated from a beach on Crete, describing to Tubantia how everyone looked at each other in confusion during the scramble to safety.
The reports highlight how quickly the situation escalated for holidaymakers, turning vacations into emergency situations. Nick’s nighttime sighting from his honeymoon accommodation appears to have been an early warning of the danger nearby.
With fire season ongoing and authorities still battling blazes, travelers in Greece are advised to monitor local alerts and follow evacuation orders promptly. The coming days will show whether the fire risk subsides or continues to disrupt lives and holidays.
