Wildfire prompts evacuations near Athens as summer's first heat wave hits Greece

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — A large wildfire broke out south of Athens on Thursday, triggering authorities to issue evacuation orders and shut down parts of the coastal road linking the Greek capital to Sounion, location of the ancient Temple of Poseidon, a major tourist attraction.

The fire came as temperatures approached 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in Greece’s first heatwave of the summer.

“Right now, strong land and air forces are fighting a huge battle against the flames, mainly among homes,” fire department spokesman Col. Vassilis Vathrakogiannis said during a press briefing Thursday afternoon.

Twelve water-dropping planes and 12 helicopters were providing air support to 130 firefighters, backed up by volunteer firefighters in the Palaia Fokaia seaside area south of Athens, Vathrakogiannis said. A coast guard firefighting vessel doused the flames from the sea.

The fire, which reportedly broke out within a populated area, was fanned by strong winds that frequently changed direction, sending plumes of smoke fanning out across the sky. Television footage showed at least one home burning.

Local mayor Dimitris Loukas said on Greece's state-run ERT television that several houses were believed to have been damaged by the blaze, but added that exact information on property destruction was not immediately available.

The coast guard said two patrol boats and nine private vessels were on standby in the Palaia Fokaia area in case an evacuation by sea became necessary. Ambulances were also on standby but had not been required by Thursday afternoon, authorities said.

“We’re telling people to leave their homes,” local town councilor Apostolos Papadakis said on Greece’s state-run ERT television. Parts of the coastal road connecting Athens to Sounion were closed in both directions, with people urged to take alternate routes to leave the area.

Fire department spokesman Vassilis Vathrakogiannis said 40 people had been evacuated by police, while evacuation orders were issued for a total of five areas.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known, but the fire department spokesman said that an arson investigation unit had been sent to the area.

The entire wider Athens area, as well as several Aegean islands, were on Level 4 of a 5-level scale for the danger of wildfires due to the weather conditions, with the heatwave expected to last until the weekend.

Earlier in the week, hundreds of firefighters took four days to bring a major wildfire under control on the eastern Aegean island of Chios. More than a dozen evacuation orders had been issued for Chios, where the flames devoured forest and farmland. The fire department said one woman had been arrested on suspicion of having contributed to that fire’s start — reportedly by discarding a cigarette.

Wildfires are frequent in Greece during its hot, dry summers. In 2018, a massive fire swept through the seaside town of Mati, east of Athens, trapping people in their homes and on roads as they tried to flee. More than 100 died, including some who drowned trying to swim away from the flames.

Lillian Tsertou walks in front of her burned down house in Thymari, south of Athens, Thursday, June 26, 2025, as authorities evacuate five locations during Greece's first summer heatwave with temperatures nearing 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit). (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

A Firefighting plane drops water while battling a blaze in the seaside area of Palaia Fokaia, south of Athens, Thursday, June 26, 2025, as authorities evacuate five locations during Greece's first summer heatwave with temperatures nearing 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit).(AP Photo/Giorgos Delveroudis)

Firefighting planes drop water while battling a blaze in the seaside area of Palaia Fokaia, south of Athens, Thursday, June 26, 2025, as authorities evacuate five locations during Greece's first summer heatwave with temperatures nearing 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit).(AP Photo/Giorgos Delveroudis)

Tourists with an umbrella walk in front of the ancient Parthenon temple at the Acropolis Hill, Thursday, June 26, 2025 as the summer's first heatwave hits Greece, with temperatures expected to edge over 40 degrees Celsius, (104 Farenheit).(AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

A firefighting helicopter drops water while battling a blaze in the seaside area of Charakas, south of Athens, Thursday, June 26, 2025, as authorities evacuate five locations during Greece's first summer heatwave with temperatures nearing 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit). (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

Firefighting planes drop water while battling a blaze in the seaside area of Palaia Fokaia, south of Athens, Thursday, June 26, 2025, as authorities evacuate five locations during Greece's first summer heatwave with temperatures nearing 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit).(AP Photo/Giorgos Delveroudis)

RABAT, Morocco (AP) — Mohamed Salah scored and Egypt eliminated defending champion Ivory Coast to move into the Africa Cup of Nations semifinals with a 3-2 victory on Saturday.

Salah nabbed his fourth goal of the tournament — Egypt’s third of the game — in the 52nd minute and the Pharaohs needed it as Ivory Coast threatened to twice come back from two goals down.

But Egypt held on in Agadir despite relentless Ivorian pressure and booked a semifinal date with 2021 champion Senegal in Tangier on Wednesday.

Ivory Coast had a woeful start as Franck Kessie lost the ball in midfield after a poor touch and Odilon Kossounou fell over instead of cutting out Emam Ashour’s ball for Omar Marmoush, who scored in the fourth minute.

Ramy Rabia produced a brilliant block to preserve the lead then scored himself with a header from a corner in the 32nd.

Ivory Coast finally pulled one back in the 40th when Ahmed Abou El Fotouh bundled in a dangerous Yan Diomande free kick that Kossounou headed on.

Salah restored Egypt’s two-goal cushion early in the second half when Rabia caught the Ivorian defense out with a long ball for Ashour, who set up Salah with the outside of his boot.

Guéla Doué pulled one back again with his heel in a goalmouth scramble after goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shenawy clawed the ball away in the 73rd, but the equalizer never came.

Egypt is bidding for a record-extending eighth title.

Victor Osimhen scored one goal and set up another for Nigeria to down Algeria 2-0 for its place in the semifinals.

The Super Eagles, who had a far from ideal preparation with reports of bonuses not being paid, will face host Morocco in the second semifinal in Rabat on Wednesday.

They needed patience in Marrakech against the team with the best defense in the tournament after failing to take their chances in the first half — Akor Adams fired over when he had only Luca Zidane in the Algeria goal to beat, and Calvin Bassey had another effort cleared off the line.

Osimhen finally scored after the break when he headed the ball back across Zidane’s direction of movement from Bruno Onyemaechi’s cross.

It was the first goal at the tournament conceded by Zidane, whose parents were in the stands again.

But it was quickly followed by the second.

Patient buildup play preceded Alex Iwobi’s pass to Osimhen, who unselfishly played across for Adams, who eluded the out-rushing Zidane and poked the ball into the empty net in the 57th.

Algeria coach Vladimir Petković reacted with three changes including the withdrawals of captain Riyad Mahrez and star forward Ibrahim Maza but there was nothing the Fennec Foxes could do to get back in the game against the confident and assured Nigerians, who remained in control throughout.

Adams struck the post when he looked certain to score the third.

Three-time champion Nigeria, which lost the final to Ivory Coast in the last edition, is bidding to win the title for the first time since 2013. It would help make up for the disappointment of failing to qualify for the World Cup — in contrast to Algeria.

AP at the Africa Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/africa-cup-of-nations

Egypt's Mohamed Salah, left, celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinal soccer match between Egypt and Ivory Coast, in Agadir, Morocco, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Egypt's Mohamed Salah celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinal soccer match between Egypt and Ivory Coast, in Agadir, Morocco, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Egypt's Mohamed Salah, right, scores his side's third goal during the Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinal soccer match between Egypt and Ivory Coast, in Agadir, Morocco, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Nigeria's Calvin Bassey, front, and Algeria's Redouane Berkane challenge for the ball during the Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinal soccer match between Nigeria and Algeria, in Marrakech, Morocco, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

Algeria's Fares Chaibi, left, and Nigeria's Akor Adams challenge for the ball during the Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinal soccer match between Nigeria and Algeria, in Marrakech, Morocco, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

Algeria's Rafik Belghali, left, and Nigeria's Akor Adams challenge for the ball during the Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinal soccer match between Nigeria and Algeria, in Marrakech, Morocco, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

Nigeria's Victor Osimhen celebrates with teammates after scoring the opening goal during the Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinal soccer match between Nigeria and Algeria, in Marrakech, Morocco, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

Nigeria's Victor Osimhen controls the ball during the Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinal soccer match between Nigeria and Algeria, in Marrakech, Morocco, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)