© European Union, Copernicus Emergency Management Service

Devastating Wildfire on Crete, Greece

On 2 July 2025, a wildfire broke out near the village of Achlia in eastern Crete, Greece. Fanned by strong winds, the fire spread rapidly, prompting the evacuation of around 5,000 nearby residents. Hundreds of firefighters were deployed to combat the flames, which have inflicted damage on homes and businesses in coastal and inland areas.

On 3 July, the Greek Disaster Planning and Management Directorate – General Secretariat for Civil Protection – Ministry of Climate Change and Civil Protection activated the Copernicus Emergency Management Service (CEMS) to provide emergency mapping (EMSR809). This data visualization shows the affected area mapped using data delivered by CEMS On-Demand Rapid Mapping service, displaying the situation as of 4 July 2025 at 9:07 UTC.

The open data provided by the Copernicus Sentinel satellites and services is key to monitoring and mapping the extent and effects of wildfires around the world.