Volunteers battle a wildfire burning near Porto Germeno, 70 kilometres northwest of Athens, in the region of Viotia, Greece, on Aug. 2, 2026. —Costas Baltas—Getty ImagesEmergency services in Greece are rigorously battling wildfires across the country, a day after two firefighting helicopters collided in midair, killing two crew members.Almost 500 firefighters have been deployed to stop advancing wildfires west of Athens, with water-dropping planes utilized early Monday morning in an effort to stem the blazes.A high risk warning is in place until at least Tuesday for areas surrounding Athens, with hundreds of people already evacuated from the nearby regions.The Greek seaside resort of Porto Germeno has also issued further evacuation notices as emergency services continue to tackle major blazes.According to the national fire and rescue service of Greece, around 220 agro-forest fires have broken out across the country since July 27.Chief fire officer Vasilios Vathrakoyannis referred to the uphill battle as “perhaps the most difficult days of the summer,” noting that the strong winds have “created extremely difficult conditions.”Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis also highlighted the plight of the emergency services, explaining how “the burden of the battle” has fallen almost exclusively on “frontline” responders due to unforgiving weather conditions.“When the winds blow with such force, even the dozens of aerial resources at our disposal cannot operate safely,” he said. “In several cases over the last few days, it was not possible to carry out either water intakes or water drops, as the extreme turbulence made flights prohibitive.”Greek authorities have also been issuing fines and carrying out arrests on suspicion of arson-related crimes, according to local officials. Around 22 administrative fines have already been issued, totalling €70,100 euros ($80,666), Vathrakoyannis said.Firefighting helicopters collide midair, killing two crew membersA midair collision between two firefighting helicopters occurred Sunday during operations to combat a blaze around 65 km (42 miles) west of Athens.Two crew members, a Greek and a Danish national, onboard one of the helicopters were killed in the crash in the Psatha area of the Attica region. A Briton and another Greek national were pulled from their helicopter alive.An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the crash.Mitsotakis paid tribute to the fallen frontline fighters, expressing his “deepest sorrow” over the incident. “The loss of the Greek coordinator and the Danish pilot while they were operating in the major fire at Porto Germeno fills us all with grief,” he said. “Sincere condolences to their families.” Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, also remembered the contributions of the fallen.“It takes a special courage to fly towards the flames so that others can be safe. As we continue to battle these fires side by side, Europe grieves with Greece and Denmark,” she said.Widespread wildfires devastate EuropeBlazes across Greece come as significant fires have also gripped other European countries in recent weeks.Wildfires have swept across regions in France, with President Emmanuel Macron describing the situation as “the toughest since the Second World War.”In Spain, officials fighting the blazes near Madrid last week said they were the worst the region had ever experienced.Elsewhere in western Europe, an emergency incident was declared in Suffolk, England, last week as firefighters tackled a blaze the size of at least 210 soccer pitches.Much of Europe is in the midst of yet another heat wave, further compounding the issue and raising concerns that even contained fires may gather pace once more.A drought has been declared in seven areas of England after record low rainfall and exceptionally high temperatures.Additionally, the U.K.’s national weather and climate service said England and Wales have provisionally recorded their driest July on record.Reflecting on the devastation sweeping Europe, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez referred to the wildfires as "the most painful expression" of the climate emergency.