Hundreds of firefighters continued battling the massive wildfire in western Attica overnight, focusing on containing scattered flare-ups across a vast fire front that has already burned more than 130,000 stremmas (equivalent to 130 square kilometres) and claimed the lives of two helicopter crew members.

Ground crews concentrated their efforts on three main fronts: the northern and northeastern section opposite Psatha, between Agia Paraskevi, Agios Nektarios and the summit of Mount Kithairon; the southwestern area between Psatha and Loumpa, where the most active fire remained; and the southern front stretching from Kandili towards Megara.

According to the Greek fire service, firefighters and volunteers worked throughout the night to contain numerous active hotspots across the extensive perimeter.

A total of 450 firefighters, supported by 126 fire engines, 22 specialist forest firefighting teams, volunteers and water tankers, remained deployed. Earth-moving machinery provided by the regions of Attica and Central Greece, together with the Directorate for Construction and Natural Disaster Response, continued opening firebreaks in cooperation with the forestry service.

On Monday, the aerial firefighting operation involved 34 aircraft, including 23 fixed-wing planes and 11 helicopters, three of which were used for coordination. The armed forces’ “Deucalion” disaster response unit also assisted the firefighting effort.

The wildfire began in neighbouring Boeotia on Friday, July 31, before spreading into western Attica, destroying homes and properties as it rapidly expanded.

The operation was overshadowed on Sunday by a fatal mid-air collision between two leased Bell firefighting helicopters near Psatha, killing two crew members aboard one of the aircraft.

Satellite analysis by the Copernicus Emergency Management Service, processed by the National Observatory of Athens’ Meteo.gr team, showed that by 12.16pm on Monday the fire had burned more than 130,000 stremmas across Attica and Boeotia.

The figures indicate that approximately 30,900 stremmas burned in Boeotia and around 102,000 stremmas in the Porto Germeno fire in Attica, which remains active, bringing the total affected area to approximately 132,900 stremmas.

Meanwhile, government inspection teams continued damage assessments in the affected communities, while Deputy Minister for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Costas Katsafados held a series of coordination meetings.

Authorities also warned of a very high wildfire risk on Tuesday in Attica and the regional units of Evia and Chios. The Greek fire service remains on nationwide alert due to multiple ongoing incidents and continuing adverse weather conditions.