Norwegians recount wildfire terror in Greece

Europe’s intensifying heatwaves, driven by climate change, are making extreme temperatures and wildfires more frequent, warns climate researcher Hans Olav Hygen, who cautions that southern Europe’s heat can be dangerous for travellers.

Øyvind Langnes and his partner experienced this firsthand in July 2022 while on holiday in Athens. From a viewpoint at sunset, they watched a wildfire double in size within 15 minutes. The encounter has since made him more conscious of high temperatures when planning trips, though he insists recent cooler destinations were coincidental. His 2022 Greece-Balkans road trip included multiple wildfire sightings, an unfamiliar experience for the Norwegian.

Camilla Wik Utgaard of Trondheim, who owns a holiday home in Crete, returns this week despite last year’s terrifying wildfire evacuation. Police blocked her family’s route back from shopping; after a two-hour wait at a restaurant, they took a detour over the mountains. The 2025 blaze, which she calls “quite intense,” was the worst she had seen since 2017. It has left her more aware of evacuation routes and the causes of such fires. She hopes authorities have learned from the incident.

Norway’s Meteorological Institute has warned of an ongoing intense heatwave, with temperatures in southern Europe potentially reaching 40°C.