Wildfires have forced evacuations in Crete, the Athens area and several Greek islands this August. Here is where is affected, whether your trip is safe, and exactly what refunds and compensation you are — and are not — entitled to.
Cover image: wildfire smoke hanging over Athens, seen from Philopappos Hill — photo by George E. Koronaios, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Greece remains open to visitors, but August 2026 has brought its most serious wildfire spell of the summer — and travellers heading there need to know two things: where the fires actually are, and what their rights are if plans get disrupted. The Greek Fire Service has tackled more than 70 separate fires in recent weeks, with the most critical activity around the outskirts of Athens and on Crete, where local authorities evacuated around 8,000 people — roughly 2,000 of them tourists — from hotels and coastal resorts in late July. The core message: most of the country, including central Athens, Rhodes, Halkidiki and the majority of Crete's resorts, is unaffected and operating normally. But if a fire does hit your route or resort, an airline cancellation counts as an "extraordinary circumstance" under EU rules — you get a refund or rebooking, not cash compensation.
Where are the wildfires in Greece right now?
The fires are localised but scattered. Recent flare-ups have hit western Attica around Porto Germeno, Psatha and Megara, plus Kefalonia, and on 16 August two fires on Salamis island near Athens killed two people. Earlier in the month, two firefighting-helicopter crew died in a crash during operations near the capital. On 14 August a "wall of fire" forced holidaymakers into a sea evacuation — a scene repeated at several coastal spots this summer. Islands touched at some point this season include Kefalonia, Paros, Kalymnos, Andros, Naxos and Lesvos.
Civil Protection fire-risk ratings reached Category 4 ("very high") across several regions in late July and early August before easing to Category 3 from 7 August. Greece's wildfire season runs April to October, so conditions can shift quickly — check the Greek Civil Protection alerts (sent to phones via 112, including foreign SIMs) for your specific area before and during travel.
Is it safe to travel to Greece in August 2026?
For the overwhelming majority of itineraries, yes. Airports are operating normally, no blanket government advisory warns against travel to Greece, and popular bases such as central Athens, Santorini, Rhodes and Thessaloniki have not been directly affected. The practical risks are localised evacuations, road closures near active fires, and smoke degrading air quality — a genuine concern for travellers with respiratory or heart conditions, who should monitor air-quality readings even away from the flames. Wildfires now sit alongside the heatwaves, protests and new visitor rules reshaping Mediterranean travel this summer, which we mapped in Europe's new tourist rules, fees and bans for August 2026.
Can I get a refund if wildfires cancel my flight or holiday?
Here is what the rules actually say:
- Flight cancelled: under EU Regulation 261, wildfires are an extraordinary circumstance beyond the airline's control — so the €250–€600 cash compensation does not apply. The airline still owes you a full refund or free rebooking, plus care (meals, hotel if stranded). It must also show it took reasonable steps to limit your disruption; if it cannot, compensation can still be owed. Full details in our guide to flight delay and cancellation compensation rights.
- Package holiday: under the EU Package Travel rules, if extraordinary circumstances at your destination significantly affect the trip, you can cancel before departure for a full refund — but only where your specific resort is genuinely affected, not because fires are burning elsewhere in the country.
- Hotel booked separately: you depend on the property's cancellation policy, though hotels under evacuation orders routinely refund or rebook.
The same refund-versus-compensation logic applies to this summer's strike disruption, which we broke down in what you're owed when strikes cancel your flight.
Does travel insurance cover wildfires?
Only sometimes — and the wording matters. Standard policies often exclude natural catastrophe; cover for wildfire-related cancellation or curtailment typically requires a natural-disaster add-on or a more comprehensive tier. Two rules of thumb: insurers pay when there is a specific threat or official evacuation at your destination, and they do not pay for "disinclination to travel" because of smoke or worry. Buy cover early — a fire that is already burning when you purchase becomes a "known event" and is excluded. Our travel insurance guide explains the cancellation, curtailment and delay sections that matter here.
Frequently asked questions
Are flights to Greece being cancelled because of the wildfires?
Large-scale flight cancellations have not occurred; Athens, Heraklion and other major airports are operating. Disruption has been concentrated on roads, ferries and individual resorts near active fires, so check your airline's status page and local alerts rather than assuming cancellation.
Can I cancel my Greece holiday and get my money back?
Only if your destination is materially affected — an evacuation order, a resort closure or a cancelled flight. Package-holiday customers then get a full refund; independent bookings depend on airline refund duties and hotel policies. Fear of fires elsewhere in Greece does not qualify.
Do I get EU261 compensation for a wildfire cancellation?
No — wildfires count as extraordinary circumstances, so cash compensation is off the table. You are still entitled to a full refund or rebooking and to care while you wait, and the airline carries the burden of proving it handled your disruption reasonably.
How do I get wildfire alerts while in Greece?
Greece's 112 emergency system pushes evacuation alerts to all phones in an affected area, including roaming foreign SIMs, in Greek and English. Keep mobile data on and follow instructions immediately — evacuation orders in fire zones are not optional.
Sources
- Euronews — 'Wall of fire' forces sea evacuation in Greece as wildfires continue across Europe
- Wego — Greece wildfires 2026: where fires are burning & safety
- ITIJ — Authorities continue to tackle Greek wildfires
- AirHelp — Flying to Europe this summer? Your wildfire flight rights
- Which? — European wildfires: will your travel insurance cover disruption?
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