Greece is battling a series of destructive wildfires that have scorched thousands of hectares of forests and farmland, destroyed homes and forced residents to evacuate, as Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis warned that the country faces more difficult days ahead.

Mitsotakis said Greece was experiencing extreme weather conditions, with strong winds reaching up to 100 kilometres per hour, making it difficult for firefighting aircraft to operate safely.

Hundreds of firefighters have been deployed to contain a major blaze near the coastal village of Porto Germeno, about 70 kilometres northwest of Athens, as authorities work to prevent the flames from spreading toward the Greek capital. Another significant wildfire is burning in the Aigialia region of the northern Peloponnese.

A fresh wildfire also broke out on the Ionian island of Cephalonia, where police arrested a 44-year-old man suspected of deliberately starting the fire.

According to Greece’s National Observatory, more than 6,500 hectares of land have already been burned in the fires around the Gulf of Corinth and Porto Germeno. However, wildfire experts believe the affected area may exceed 10,000 hectares, raising the possibility that the blaze could be classified as a “megafire.”

The fires have forced the evacuation of Porto Germeno and nearby villages, with local authorities reporting that dozens of homes have been damaged or destroyed. Police officers and volunteers have gone door-to-door to help residents leave threatened communities.

Many residents described the fire’s rapid spread as devastating, with farmers reporting the loss of homes, crops and surrounding forests.

The latest fires come after earlier blazes on the islands of Crete and Paros, which also destroyed thousands of hectares of land this week.

Greek authorities say emergency crews have been battling dozens of wildfires each day, pushing resources to their limits. Three firefighters have died in separate incidents while responding to the fires in recent days.

Although winds eased slightly over the weekend, officials warned that areas around Athens, Voiotia and the island of Evia remain at very high risk of further wildfires.

Greece, like many countries across the Mediterranean, experiences severe wildfires each summer as prolonged heatwaves, drought and rising temperatures continue to increase the risk and intensity of fire outbreaks.